


Magic Cannot Cure Sickness

by DemonsWatchYouSleep6, Sissytobitch10seconds



Series: Mostly Normal [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Book Four, Collaboration, F/F, F/M, Faeries - Freeform, Gay, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Greek and Roman Mythology - Freeform, Hate, Illness, Japanese Mythology - Freeform, Love, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Plague, Roman mythology, Romance, Sequel, Siblings, Teenagers, Vampires, alp, egyptian mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-13 01:34:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 24,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15353301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonsWatchYouSleep6/pseuds/DemonsWatchYouSleep6, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sissytobitch10seconds/pseuds/Sissytobitch10seconds
Summary: Magic, is the solution for everything right? You can just cast a spell and everything will be fine......right?





	1. Troublemakers

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back to the Mostly Normal series! This is the fourth work in the series. hermionegirl13 is in Bold and I am in normal text.  
> This book is dedicated to Nerdkid and Deathly Waffles. Deathly Waffles is unfortunately no longer on the bandwagon, but Nerdkid stepped up and went for it, even though he hasn't read this far, this book is still dedicated to him.

Things in the Hecate cabin had never been this quiet, someone was always chanting to make a potion or spell, but currently, everything was silent. Natalie was lying on her bed, reading a spellbook that the campers had gotten on a quest and decided to give to the Hecate campers, as they would do the best with it.

**Natalie flipped the page of her book, enjoying the unusual silence. Plus, the book was interesting, which was a big factor, of course. Usually, Jeremy was in here, trying to avoid the jeering Ares campers and the danger his virtually uncontrollable magic posed on all the campers.**

Though today, none of the Hecate children had been able to find the young boy, which worried Nia to the point of where she almost made herself sick. "Oh where is that boy?" she asked, pacing the floor impatiently as she scanned the camp with her magic.

**"Shut up, Nia," snapped Natalie, "He'll turn up. He always does." she rolled her eyes and turned back to the spell book. Nia sighed and glared at her younger sister.**

**"Natalie," she said, "why do you always just sit there and read? You can do other stuff, you know."**

"I like reading," she said, flipping onto her back as she flipped even further into the brittle book. Jackie huffed and shoved his headphones closer to his ears, trying to block out his sister's bickering words.

**Nia kicked him. "Take those stupid things off, Jack," she snapped, "You _know_ demigods shouldn't use media like that. Monsters--"**

**"Monsters can't get in," Jackie interrupted, "and shut up yourself, I'm trying to listen to my tunes."**

"Trying to listen to my tunes," Natalie mocked before she stood and stole the headphones from her brother. Holding them just out of his reach, though she was standing on her tiptoes to be taller than the small boy was.

**"Give those back," Jackie protested, "I was listening to They Might Be Giants songs!"**

**"Which ones, sissy?"**

**"Don't call your brother a sissy," Nia scolded. Jackie folded his arms. "For your information, I was listening to Cage and Aquarium," he snapped, "It was my favorite."**

"Fine. I guess that earns you a little respect," Natalie said, handing the headphones back to the younger mage. "Have fun you little twerp."

"Watch your mouth young lady, unless you want me to do it for you," Nia scolded.

**Natalie sniffed and flounced back to her bunk, picking up her book again. Nia sighed and rolled her eyes, storming out of the cabin. Jackie watched her go. "She's going to look for Jeremy," he said, stating the obvious. Natalie wanted to reply with a biting retort, but before she could, her brother turned up the sound so much that even she could hear the words.**

**_This is the spawning of the Cage and Aquarium,_ **

**_don't wait a moment too soon,_ **

**_used to be different, now you're the same,_ **

**_yawn as your plane goes down in flames._ **

**_This is the spawning of the Cage and Aquarium..._ **

**Natalie rolled her eyes and turned back to the book.**

Suddenly, Nia ducked her head back into the cabin, startling both mages, "I'm going to find Jeremy, don't move either of you," she said, in her words, there was a binding spell, making it so that neither of them could move even if they wanted to **.**

**When she was satisfied that her siblings were stuck fast, Nia grinned and popped back out of the room. Natalie tried to glare but failed. Angry thoughts ran through her head, none of them she would dare say in front of her bossy older sister.**

"Why does she always do that?" Natalie tried to say, though her mouth refused to move. Jackie tried to shrug as he made an attempt to close his eyes, though there sisters spell was so much that neither of them were able to move even their eyelids.  _'Were going to suffer from lack of oxygen again, aren't we?'_ Natalie thought as she ran through all of the spells she could cast to help them.

**She tried thinking one spell, but it was meant to be said aloud and didn't work, so she moved on to another one. This one seemed to work, and Jackie sighed in relief. Natalie copied him as he turned off his music and took off his headphones.**

**"She is such an evil sorceress," Jackie muttered angrily. Natalie nodded. "We have to get her back when she comes back with Jeremy," she giggled, "She'll _totally_ deserve it."**

"What can we do that she would hate most?" Jackie said thinking aloud. "Do you think that we can do the invisibility spell in that book if we combined our powers?" Natalie beamed and nodded, pleased that her brother was finally starting to think like her.

**"Okay," said Natalie, getting right down to business, "We'll need to practice it a lot before she gets back. Let's see if we can't perfect it today?"**

**"Sure," said Jackie with a huge grin. Natalie brought out the dusty tome and flipped it to the right page.**

"  _Invisibility comes to those who wait,_ " Natalie read, the words coming out in Ancient Greek, as they almost always did when they were casting spells. She glanced up at her brother, "Dude it worked!"

**"Whoa," said Jackie's voice, although Natalie couldn't see her brother anywhere, "Yeah! I can't see you, it totally worked! First try, too." there was a slight pause, and Natalie envisioned Jackie with another mega huge grin on his face.**

"Here she comes, shut up!" Natalie said as she covered her own with her hands as to make it so that her sister couldn't hear her breathing. Nia swung the door open, Jeremy was getting dragged behind her by his ear. Natalie could feel her breath against her hands as she waited for her overprotective sister to find her.

**"Jackie? Natalie?" called Nia, "Did you break the spell? Ugh, where _are_ you?" Natalie had to bite her lip to keep from giggling. Nia would  _never_ find them!**

Jeremy raised his hand, " _Show yourselves!_ " he shouted, the words coming out in ancient Greek. Natalie and Jackie both groaned as the spell was taken off of them. "They do that every time Nia, you should really be able to tell by now."

**Nia reddened, swatting the youngest child of Hecate on his free ear, as she was still gripping his other one. He glared at her, folding his arms. "I'll tell Mom about that," he threatened.**

"Why did you have to go and wreck it?" Natalie whined from her bed, looking like an upset puppy. Jeremy opened his mouth to explain that she knew why she just chose to ignore it. He closed his mouth when there was a loud knock on the door.

**"Come in," called Nia. The door opened and Colin from the Hebe cabin poked his head in. "What's with all the arguing?" he said, "Chiron's calling a meeting for the senior counselors, by the way. Nia, we need you. Leave your siblings alone."**

"Watch yourselves," Nia said as she was pulled out of the door and dragged away to where they were holding the senior counselor meeting.

"I can't wait till she leaves," Jackie said, picking up his headphones and placing them back onto his head. "Fall Out Boy this time, so don't remove them."

**"We won't unless completely necessary," Jeremy pledged with an uncharacteristically mischievous grin. Natalie rolled her eyes and flopped back onto her bed, picking up her original spell book and paging through it, ignoring her brothers as she focused entirely on translating the Ancient Greek letters in her head.**

"Nat! Nat!" someone from outside the door shouted as they pounded on the door. "It's me, come on I know that you can hear me. Don't make me send a reptile in there," Bea shouted from just outside the door.

**"Who's Nat?" Jeremy shouted back, "We don't have a Nat in here. This is the Hecate cabin."**

**"She means me, doofus," said Natalie, "I'm coming, Bea. Gimme a sec."**

Natalie grabbed her book, placing it just in the folds of her leather jacket, before she raced out of the cabin, even though she knew that her sister would freak when she saw that she was no longer in the cabin.

**Bea brushed her black hair out of her sparkling obsidian like eyes with a grin. "Hey, Nat," she said, "Wanna go fight a pit scorpion?"**

**"No, duh," said Natalie, "Those things are horrible. Don't you remember that one that bit Percy Jackson?"**

**"That was years and years ago," Bea replied, "Come on, it'll be fun!"**

"Chiron's gonna get mad at us again!" Natalie said as her face lit up with joy. Most kids despise getting in trouble, but the troublesome duo loved to cause problems and then get blamed for them. They may be strange, but together they were doubly as strange, though no one questioned it, strange was normal.

**Bea giggled. "Come _on_ , Nat," she cried, "Let's go get in trouble!"**

**Natalie promptly agreed, and the two girls dashed off to the battle arena.**

"We need to find Teressa and Adrian," Bea said with a small giggle, the twins from the Bia cabin had always helped the duo with their pranks, much to the anger of everyone else.

**"You called?" said a giggly voice from behind Natalie. Teressa put her hand on the daughter of Hecate's shoulder. "We're happy to help you if you're wanting more trouble," piped up Adrian from behind Bea.**

The twins tried to move around their friends, even though they had been cuffed together since birth, they had never quite figured out how to move with the handcuffs on. "If you're up for trouble then so are we," Natalie said after helping the twins off of the ground.

**"Sweet," said Adrian, "Let's go. What are we doing today?"**

**"Fighting pit scorpions without permission," said Bea brightly.**

**Teressa grinned. "Awesome," she said, "You brought weapons?"**

"'Course we did," Natalie said, holding up her Daggers.

"So did I," Bea said, holding up Synge. Adrian got a shimmer in his eye as they marched towards the arena, grins on their faces the entire way.

**"So where are we getting pit scorpions?" asked Teressa.**

**Bea grinned mischievously. "The forest," she said, "Why do you think we brought you guys? You're obviously the most powerful of all of us."**

"Chained together like this? Yeah right," Adrian said, rippling the chain that connected his sister and the other twin. Natalie popped her hip out and gave him a disapproving stare.

"Okay, Mr. and Ms. Son and Daughter of the Goddess of raw power and energy," she said, her tone slightly snarky.

**"Well, _excuse_ us if we're cuffed together!" said Teressa, "Mom did it so we wouldn't get too powerful for camp!  _Duh_."**

"You never told us that!" Natalie said, placing her hands on her hips and scowling. The fifteen-year-old was not always happy about what her friends did and did not tell her.

**"Well, sorry," said Adrian, "We thought you knew already."**

**Natalie stared at the male twin, her expression saying _really_?**

"What are all y'alls doin' back there?" someone asked, making all of the quarreling demigods jump with fright. Natalie slowly turned, only to see the 6'9" camper from the Ares cabin. "I repeat, what are all y'all doin' back there?"

**"Nothing," stammered Adrian, "Don't worry, Vegas."**

**The huge guy grunted and folded his thick arms. "Y'all are gettin' inta trouble again, ain't ya?" he said in his thick southern drawl.**

"No?" Adrian said, though the way he said it, it came out as a question as opposed to a solid answer. Vegas crossed his arms and held up a hand, displaying five fingers. He began to take them down, one by one till there were only three left.

**"Fine," said Teressa, doing her best to look defeated. But Natalie could tell she was bluffing, which was a relief. "We'll go back to our respective cabins," Bea said, bowing her head. Vegas grunted in satisfaction and walked back to his cabin, shutting the door behind him. All four of the demigods heaved a simultaneous sigh of relief.**

"Shh, okay so maybe the pit scorpions aren't the best idea, but we could always play with the giant dog in the Hades cabin," Teressa said with a small smile. Natalie gasped, her eyes lighting up with joy.

**"What, you mean Mrs. O'Leary?" said Bianca, "She's way too slobbery. I hate dog slobber."**

**"You're just scared of her because she's so big," teased Adrian, "Seriously, Bea, she's harmless! She just loves to play. I say we do it, the Hades kids won't even notice! They're never around anyway."**

"Yeah, but getting in trouble is half the fun!" Bea whined, her shoulders slipping down as her black hair fell in front of her obsidian colored eyes. Natalie smirked and placed an arm over her friend's shoulder, whispering something into her ear.

**A smile slowly spread across Bea's face, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Yeah," she said, "That's _perfect_! Nat, where do you get these extraordinary ideas?"**

"It was in Mama's book," Natalie said, pointing at her jacket where she had stored the book her mother had gifted her. "Now, when shall we do this? Mid noon? After dinner, oh, we get in doubly as much trouble if we did it after hours!"

**Adrian and Teressa exchanged glances. "What are you talking about?" the female twin asked, completely flabbergasted as to what was going on. Bianca and Natalie smiled twin smiles of mischief.**


	2. The Backfiring Prank

That night, Natalie was ready, her dress was pressed and her hair was curled, though no one other than her could see it until she undid the spell. The hall was bustling with activity as they ate, though the sun was going down and it was getting late, so soon everyone filled back to their cabin, too tired from today's activities to do much else.

**Natalie ate her dinner with more speed than usual, partly excited partly nervous for what she and her three best friends were about to do. She had never tried this spell before, but hopefully, it would work. Especially if the Bia twins were there, which they were going to. Adrian and Teressa would _not_ pass up a chance to humiliate their worst rival.**

When the tent was almost empty, other than the few stragglers that wanted a chance to talk with each other, the four kids left one at a time, other than the Bia twins, who had to leave together. They met inside of the shack behind the Ares cabin, keeping their voices down as not to be discovered yet. "You ready for this?" Teressa asked, giddy with anticipation.

**"Almost," whispered Natalie, "I'm sort of nervous it won't work. I've never done this spell before."**

**"Don't sweat it," insisted Adrian, "Teressa and I are here. We'll help ya."**

"You ready for the spell?" asked Natalie, holding the book open in her hand and waiting for her friend to say yes.

**"Almost," said Bea, holding up one finger. She brought her binoculars to her eyes, checking the surrounding area for campers. "He's not here yet," she whispered. Natalie noticed her friend looked uncharacteristically nervous, but the daughter of Hecate couldn't blame her; she was about to do something totally embarrassing and scary.**

"So, what are we doing again?" Teressa asked, yawning tiredly. Adrian rolled his eyes and began to toy with the chain that connected the twins.

**"Shh, he's coming out!" whispered Bea frantically, "Nat, get the spell ready."**

"Okay, okay.  _Pretty Normal, Turn this member into the desired one!_ " Natalie said her words laced with magic and power. She closed her eyes as the spell took effect, when she opened her eyes, her skin was pale and almost looked as if it was made of porcelain.

**She glanced out from behind the shed and her dark eyes widened. "It's him, oh gods," she whispered, ducking back behind the little building. Her cheeks, which had been pure white before, were now flushed with color. "He's so handsome," Natalie whispered to herself, "What if he sees me?"**

"Ms. Sorana, what are you doing out so late?" Vegas asked, obviously seeing that it was his girlfriend as opposed to the daughter of Hecate.

"I-I came out to see you, m-my lo-love," Natalie stuttered out, trying to move with grace and poise that she did not possess.

**"You seem nervous, dear," said Vegas, cocking his head, "Should I change into something a little less intense?"**

**"N-no, you're fine," said Natalie, "Your pajamas are...nice."**

**"They are?" the son of Ares looked down at his bright-red pajamas, obviously surprised.**

"O-of course," the daughter of Hecate stuttered out, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her neck, someone kissed her cheek, she squeaked and turned to see who it was. "Jake?" she asked bewildered at what the man was doing.

**"Hello my love," said the son of Aphrodite dreamily, "My, you look lovely tonight."**

**"Thanks, honey," said Bianca, "So do you. Vegas, this is Jake, Jacob, my other boyfriend."**

**Bea blinked rapidly. This wasn't supposed to happen! She exchanged a panicked glance with the Bia twins, her eyes wide. Adrian gave her a look that said, _leave it, it's funnier this way,_ and Teressa winked as if to say,  _come on, play along!_**

Meanwhile, Natalie had attracted quite a crowd of people, she was beginning to look rather afraid. "Darling, you look radiant, why don't you come with me? It's only me in my cabin tonight," Percy said, his shoulder pressing too close to her for comfort.

**"Uh," said Natalie, never having heard Percy say the word 'darling' in all her time at camp. It was starting to freak her out. But she went with the black-haired son of Poseidon anyway, inevitably attracted to him because of the spell.**

Bea finally saw her friend's discomfort and decided since they had half of the camp there to watch, as well as Chiron, that it would be a good time to break the spell. " _Words I have spoken, come undone!"_ The daughter of Aphrodite did not notice that as she spoke those words, Vegas who had fallen for the spell first, scooped the small, dark haired girl up into his arms and had kissed her, full and on the lips.

**The spell broke. Surprised, Vegas dropped a suddenly gagging Natalie onto the grass. "Did I just do that?" he yelled, horrified, "Why did I just do that? You're not even my girlfriend!"**

Natalie, knowing that she got in trouble, was fueled by the hurt and pain that the boys were feeling, "Sorry boys, but this is all my fault," Bea said, her hips swinging as she came out from behind the shed that they had been at. Natalie was glowing the power, knowing that she was soon going to get in trouble.

**"What's going on here?" said Chiron loudly, "I want all campers back in bed, this is against the rules and I will have to punish these two young ladies severely for being out after hours!"**

Adrian and Teressa were still behind the shed, waiting to get found out, though they were not as fueled by hate and anger as their two friends were. Natalie shouldered her jacket and took a deep breath, "I can take full blame for doing all of this," she said, rather cockily, feeling rather empowered at the moment.

**"Well, you aren't with anyone else," said Chiron with a snort, "so of course, you'll be taking full blame. Come with me."**

The girls looked at each other knowingly and followed the centaur, though Natalie was so built up by the power of the hate in her that she was walking on the air, almost so far that she was taller than Chiron. Bea on the other hand was just grinning from ear to ear as her sisters and brothers all stared at her with hatred.


	3. Epidemic!

"Nia?" a calm voice asked as they knocked on the door. The daughter of Hecate took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound lively.

"Come in," she said, standing off of her bed and waiting for the child of Apollo to enter the cabin.

**Will opened the door and came inside.**

"How've you been feeling Nia?" he asked, getting straight to work. She shook her head and placed her hand on her throat, in which something was slowly eating her vocal cords, "Not so good then?"

**Nia tried to say something but a hollow, rasping cough escaped her pale, orange tinted lips instead. Will's eyebrows shot up. "Oh dear," he said, "Looks like Orange Cough. You'd better come to the infirmary," he said, taking her hand and gently guiding her to the door.**

Nia followed the son of Apollo patiently as they walked to the infirmary. The oldest child of Hecate was overjoyed that all of her siblings were either sent to the Roman camp on probation (Natalie) or at classes (Jeremy and Jackie), which meant that none of them had to see her in this state.

**Will guided Nia into the infirmary tent and sat her down on a bed next to one occupied by Nico di Angelo.**

"Stardust?" Will called into the room next to them. A young looking girl with long blond locks looked into the cabin with a questioning look on her face.

"Can I help you Will?" she asked, her Utah accent was evident in her voice.

**"Yeah, Nia here has Orange Cough. Can you take care of her while I check Nico?" said Will. Stardust smiled.**

**"No problem," she said, "Nia, come here, sweetheart."**

**The tent flap opened and another child of Apollo came in, it was Hanna and she was leading a dark-haired girl in. This girl's lips also had an orange-ish tinge.**

**"Lora has it too?" Will groaned. "Take her to a bed, Hanna, and take care of her. I gotta check Nico now."**

**"On it, Will," Hanna said, leading the sickly looking daughter of Athena to another bed, next to Nia's.**

Nia groaned and placed her hand over her throat, trying to soothe it as the Orange Cough ate her vocal cords. Lora sat up in bed and tried to speak, though her words came out as a croaking unhappy noise.

**"Will!" shouted a young girl, who was also a child of Apollo, "I have two kids with Orange Cough here!"**

**"Bring them in, Cassia!" Will called back, and the girl came inside, bringing the two sons of Janus inside. Rio's lips almost matched his hair, and Elliot's pale face blended with his platinum-blond locks.**

"Stardust, can you do me a huge favor?" Will asked after situating the two boys into beds, Stardust nodded and looked at her half brother, "Go around camp and find everyone who has Orange Cough, bring them back here and make everyone else wear masks. You know what? Just perform the standard epidemic procedure, and make more beds, we're gonna need them."

**"Got it," said Stardust, running out of the infirmary. On the way out she nearly bumped into one of the newer daughters of Apollo, who was towing Robin from the Demeter cabin. The red haired girl looked a lot worse than the other campers with Orange Cough, which probably meant she'd had it longer than most of them. Maybe she'd given the sickness to a lot of these campers? Nia couldn't tell.**

Nia lay back on the bed that she had been placed in, her throat bothering her too much for her to stand. If Robin had had the sickness for longer than the rest of them now did, it would explain why the small child of Demeter had never spoken to anyone. The doctors had disappeared from the tent and were slowly coming back in, removing the clothes that separated campers with illness from the campers with injuries. All the Apollo campers had masks over their mouths and gloves on, as to make sure that they did not catch Orange Cough as well.

**Soon, the infirmary was full of sick campers, thanks to Stardust's hard work, and the air was full of coughing and retching. Will hastily checked on Nico and then moved on to Nia, giving her a tall glass of nectar for her throat.**

That night, Nia lay awake, listening to the sounds of discomfort coming from the campers in the tent with her. She heard sounds of voices outside, as she listened in to the conversation, she could hear three voices, two of them female and one of them male.

"This is the most amount of cases of Orange Cough throughout history Will, what are we going to do?"

"Well first we need to alert the other camp, a few of their campers are sick here and we just sent Natalie and Bea over on probation."

"I put the remaining campers in the Hephaestus cabin, they're in one of the unused rooms," the third voice said, sounding rather startled.

**"That's good," said the second voice, "Well done Stardust. You followed all requirements for an epidemic like this."**

**"Well," said the third voice again, sounding annoyed, "It's not the _first_ time that happened, according to Stardust anyway."**

"I had hoped that last time would be the last time that we had to deal with somethin' like this," Stardust said, knowing that doing basic things like changing out sheets and tending patients in the most Mortal way possible was all she could do.

**"Looks like it's not," said the third voice sadly, "Sorry, Stardust. Will, can I go check on Robin again? She has a bad fever. I wanted to get her some ambrosia tonight."**

**"Yeah, just be sure to wear your mask and not to give her too much," Will said, before sighing and walking back into the tent to tend to more sick campers.**


	4. Infected

**"Natalie, come on, we'll be late for evening muster," called Bea from the door. Natalie sighed and finished putting on her armor, coming out of the barracks and following her friend to the Field of Mars.**

"Why do we have to do this? It wasn't even the worst prank that we have ever pulled!" Natalie complained, taking another Ibuprofen for her sore muscles. Bea shrugged and began to drag her friend closer and closer to the Field of Mars.

**"Ow, you're making me hurt worse," winced Natalie, "I'm coming."**

Once the duo had reached the Field of Mars, everyone was eerily quiet. "What's going on?" Bea whispered to Dimitri, who was watching after them to make sure that they didn't get in any more trouble.

**"No idea," said the son of Nike with a shrug, "I had hoped we were still doing evening muster. Doesn't look too much like it."**

" _Senatus Populusque Romanus!_ We bring you horrible news from back at what some of you call home, There has been an epidemic of Orange Cough! All of you are to report back to your barracks and get a health inspection," Reyna said, her voice silencing the field even further than it already was.

**Bea, Natalie, and Dimitri exchanged wide-eyed glances. An epidemic? That couldn't be good.**

**Frank stood up from where he sat next to Reyna. "There will be no evening muster tonight, as the health inspection takes precedence," he said, "Sorry, guys. _Senatus Populusque Romanus!_ You can go now, this meeting is adjourned."**

Natalie felt her heart race as they all filed back to the barracks. When she had left, Nia had not been feeling well, though the younger daughter of Hecate dismissed this as a stress related illness. Bea didn't look well when they walked into the barracks, and the daughter of Aphrodite had stopped just outside of the door and held her throat before vomiting on the step.

**Natalie screamed and stepped backward. "Someone help!" she cried, "My friend is sick!"**

Bea moved over to the side of the building and continued to retch until there was nothing left in her stomach, Natalie held her hair back and held her breath. "Get her to the sick ward!" Dimitri yelled, getting everyone inside the barracks to settle down enough to be rational.

**A couple of the camp medics ran over to Bea and picked her up, rushing her away. As Natalie watched her best friend being carried away, she felt a strange loneliness that she had never felt before. She swallowed the lump that threatened to rise in her throat and dodged the puddle of vomit on the step to enter the barracks.**

She lay down on her bed after removing her armor, waiting for her turn to have the health inspection done. It took an eerily long time for the barrack that the two troublemakers were staying in to be done since Bianca had just gotten sick.

**An older camper named Apex walked inside Natalie's bedroom, wearing a mask that covered his nose and mouth. "Come on down from your bed," he said, "Let's get you checked quickly."**

Natalie nodded and hopped off of her bed, walking over to the camper. "Is Bea okay?" she asked, worried about her friend even though she herself was not feeling well.

**"She'll live," said Apex, though Natalie suspected even he wasn't sure about that. He had her open her mouth and checked her throat, then he examined her lips and temperature.**

**"H'm," he said, "slight fever, little orange tint, some unwelcome bacteria in your throat, I'm afraid. You have Orange Cough. Come with me, I'll have this room quarantined or something."**

Natalie felt her breath pick up, if there was a chance that she could die, then she wanted to spend that time with her siblings in her home, not in a foreign camp. Apex placed a hand on her forehead and his eyes widened, Natalie's world went black and all she could feel was cold.


	5. The Quest

**Chiron paced in front of the remaining uninfected campers, trying to explain the predicament. "We need someone who can go and find the cure for Orange Cough," he said, "Someone brave. He or she may bring two others with him or her, according to tradition."**

"I could go," Jason said, putting his hand up hesitantly.

"No," Rachel Dare said, shaking her head as her curly red hair fell in front of her face. Everyone turned to stare at her in confusion, "Jason should not go on this quest. We need two brothers and another. Jackie and Jeremy," she said, her voice changing half way through and green smoke billowing out of her ears and mouth.

**"Here we go again," said Percy Jackson, "I hate when this happens. It's too creepy."**

**"Shh, listen," hissed Jeremy, stunned that he had been chosen.**

**" _Three shall journey far to seek_**

**_The one that will be of Heart,_ **

**_Five in the middle way_ **

**_Then two will no more see the day._ "**

"What does that even mean?" Jackie murmured, placing his head in his hands. Jeremy shrugged and patted his brother on the back.

"Who else will go with these brave campers?" Chiron called out into the audience. There was a wave of voices before everyone got quiet.

**"I will go," said a brave female voice, "The sick campers need us."**

**Everyone turned to look, surprised, at who had spoken. Black hair and eyes greeted them as Bianca stepped forward.**

"Are you sure?" Chiron asked, placing a hand on the daughter of Erebus' shoulder, his brow was furrowed with concern. Bianca nodded and looked over her shoulder and flashed a bright smile, which was rare especially for a child of Erebus, the smile reassured both of the boys.

**"I feel that I should be the one to do this," she said, "Though why, I can't say. When do we start, Chiron?"**

**"As soon as you are ready. Don't forget to stop by the Apollo cabin--the cabin please, not the infirmary--to get some ambrosia and nectar for emergencies."**

Bianca nodded and walked over to the two other questers, giving them both a kiss on the cheek, making Jackie blush, even though the daughter of Erebus was older than he was. Jeremy smiled when she passed, he tugged at her hand and squeezed it gently before following after her to the Apollo cabin.

**"Yes, what are you here for?" asked Will Solace, who was desperately mixing up some sort of mush for the sick campers. Stardust walked in behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you worry, Will, I can help these kiddos."**

**"We need ambrosia and nectar for our quest," said Bianca confidently.**

"Comin' right up sweetheart," Stardust said with a smile, heading back farther into the cabin. When she returned, she handed then several small zip-lock baggies of ambrosia and more than enough water bottles. When Bianca cocked her head to the side in confusion, Stardust explained, "Half of these are water dears."

**"And the other half...?"**

**"Nectar. Keep them safe, all right? Now you'd better go pack up before Chiron starts panicking. We need a cure for that Orange Cough as soon as possible. ASAP, if you must."**

Jackie nodded with a bright smile, getting on his tiptoes to kiss Stardust's cheek. "I'll be back soon, don't let them die?" he said this in a question though he knew that the other girl would never let him down.

"Everything will be fine when you get back, love," she reassured him.

**Jeremy smiled as well, showing off his deep dimples. Bianca breathed deeply to calm her pounding heart. Why did it have to do that every time her friend flashed his smile? Bianca couldn't resist dimples, and Jeremy was notorious for his cute smile.**

"C'mon lovebirds, we have to go so that Chiron can stop worrying," Bianca said, calming her heart by looking back at Jackie and Stardust. Jackie got up on his tiptoes and gave Stardust another brief kiss on the cheek.

**She smiled. "Don't go getting into trouble," she said, "But I guess, when you're a demigod, you can expect trouble around every turn. So, can I just say instead: Die bravely."**

**Jeremy blinked. "Isn't that a quote from a book or something?"**

**"Five Kingdoms, sorry. I was obsessed when I was younger." Stardust winked at the three demigods. "All right then, shoo."**

Jackie nodded his head from side to side and then smiled back at the daughter of Apollo, though when he turned, the smile slipped off of his face and was replaced by a look of fear. Bianca gave him a side hug as they walked out of the camp and into the unknown.


	6. Heading East

**"Are you sure we're the ones?" asked Jackie anxiously. Bianca rolled her eyes.**

**"Don't be stupid, Jackie," she snorted, "Of _course_ we're the ones. And don't go doubting us now: we're not even in New York anymore."**

**"I guess you're right," Jackie mumbled, staring out of the window of their taxi at the New England scenery rushing past. There wasn't much traffic, which none of the demigods were used to, having lived in busy New York their whole lives.**

"Is this where you kids wanted to go?" the driver asked, turning around so that he could see them. Bianca looked out of the window and nodded, almost dragging the two boys along with her as they headed for the Greek Navy ship.

When they arrived, Jackie felt a weight lift off of his chest, he had heard what happened with Percy Jackson and the Roman ship, but what was in front of the demigods was a large ship that was docked neatly next to the rest of the ships.

**"Are you guys ready?" asked Jeremy, flashing his dimples, "Jackie, you look less worried."**

**Jackie smiled at his brother. "Yeah," he said, "I'm ready." he felt a whole lot better than he had on the taxi ride here. Bianca pulled her obsidian-colored hair into a loose ponytail, her dark eyes twinkling. "Well," she said, "Let's go."**

They all took in a breath before boarding the ship, walking onto the gently rocking boat. "I hate boats," Jackie muttered, grimacing at the motion.

"I have Dramamine in my pack if you need it," Jeremy said as he walked down to the port.

"Don't throw up on deck, alright?" Bianca teased with a small smile as she walked back to the motor, starting it up swiftly.

**With a rev, the boat zoomed away from the dock, carrying the three demigods away from America and closer to the prophecy.**


	7. Romania

Jeremy flopped his head back onto the wall of the boat, the hull was slick with rain and the motion of the ocean was beginning to make them all rather sick. "Where're we going again?" he asked, cold and a little loopy from dehydration.

**Jackie groaned. "Bianca said we're going to Romania," he said, "Now if you'll excuse me..." he pointed to his stomach and leaned over the railing to throw up yet again. Jeremy sighed, feeling like he was about to puke as well.**

"I have relatives there," Bianca spoke in a small voice, speeding up the engine with her magic, forcing the shadowy water to pull their boat further into the ocean. Jeremy groaned and rolled over, putting a hand on his stomach. Bianca rolled her eyes and reached into her bag. When Jackie came back from over the side of the ship, he had a bright orange box hit him dead in the forehead.

**"Ow," Jackie complained, "What was that for?"**

**"It's Dramamine," she snapped, "And neither of you have had _any_ this trip, so you'd better take some before you die of nausea."**

"I'm not going to die of nausea," Jeremy said with a frown, taking one of the shiny silver packets from the box. He popped two into his mouth and chewed them up, swallowing quickly as he felt another wave of nausea wash over him.

**Jackie quickly ate two tablets as well. Jeremy tried to keep from puking up his medicine as Bianca sped over some rather large waves.**

Within seconds the boys faces relaxed, as did their posture. Jackie's eyes drooped quickly and he had a loopy smile on his face. "Better?" Bianca asked, a small smile on her face. When both boys nodded, she cast a darkness bubble over the ship. Jeremy reached out to touch it, though to his surprise, all it did was ripple. "Do you think you can keep down some water now?"

**"Probably," said Jeremy with a shrug, "As it is, I _am_ pretty thirsty."**

**"I'm hungry too," said Jackie wistfully. Bianca rolled her eyes.**

**"Better keep the food until later," she said, "You wouldn't want to throw up too soon, would you?"**

"Pah," Jackie said, waving his hand at the girl as he pulled out a blanket, putting it on the wet hull. The wool got wet quickly, but the son of Hecate looked plenty content.

**Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Jackie forgot to put a dry spell on the blanket," he told Bianca, "He must have been too tired."**

**"I'm not asleep yet, you know," Jackie said, "And I like wet blankets for some weird reason. Okay?"**

"Okay, okay whatever," Bianca said. "You should both get some sleep, the Dramamine makes you very sleepy. Don't fight it." The rain pattered on the shield, sending ripples down the black orb.

**Jeremy yawned at almost the same time as Jackie. The two brothers said, "Okay," at the same time and lay down on the deck.**

"Boys! Wake up," Bianca said, agitation heavy on her tongue. An accent that neither of the boys had ever heard rose up as she spoke.

**Jackie sat up, blinking. "What's wrong?" he asked through a yawn. Jeremy popped his knuckles and stood up. "Monsters?"**

"No, I just need to talk to you guys about some things in Romania. Seeing as we're almost there," Bianca said, licking the front of her lips that seemed to be redder than they were before the demigods had left.

**"What's up?" asked Jeremy, "Your lips seem a little more colored. Why?"**

"I'm getting to that," she said, slightly angered, "Okay. I need you two to promise that you won't freak out."

**The two sons of Hecate exchanged nervous glances. "Okay... " said Jackie uncertainly, "We'll try, at least."**

"I'm a vampire," she whispered, her fangs fully showing as she spoke, "well. I'm the Princess of the Vampires. I probably should have started by telling you that vampires and werewolves are real, but I didn't think of that. Anyways, do you have any questions?"

**Jeremy's eyes widened. "Um, yeah," he said, "Two questions actually. One: Are you going to bite us? And two: How can you be a vampire _and_ a daughter of Erebus?"**

"One, I don't eat humans unless they offer, and two, all Vamps are kids of Erebus," Bianca said as she ran her tongue along the bottom of her sharp teeth.

**Jackie looked confused. "Vamps? Is that like a nickname or something? Also, your fangs are creepy. But awesome."**

Bianca placed one of her pale hands into her forehead before she looked at the son of Hecate, "I'm the Princess of the Vampires, so I'm the only one that gets to call them that, just don't call any of them that or you'll get drained. Also, it's November 29, so we need to get whatever we need soon, you don't want to be around my family around Halloween. Or October for that matter."

**Getting drained didn't sound very appetizing, and neither did the warning about Halloween. Jeremy wasn't sure he wanted to know what would happen.**

As the darkness bubble that they were in popped, Jackie noticed that Bianca looked rather tired and bony, as if she was suffering from anorexia. She took a huff of air and told them both to follow her. The woods around them were dark and rather menacing looking, the sons of Hecate found that they were startling at everything that so much as thought about moving.

**"We better keep moving," said Bianca, "Before the wolves smell us. Trust me, you do _not_ want to meet those things." she shuddered as if recalling a particularly nasty memory. Jackie and Jeremy exchanged nervous looks.**

"Wolves?" Jackie asked, his voice cracking as he stared, wide-eyed. Bianca nodded and then stopped, holding her arm to prevent the other two from moving forward, her fangs growing out and she snarled.

**"I smell danger," the young vampire princess growled, "Stay behind me and look away. You _don't_ want to see what comes next."**

"Who's danger now?" a tall figure spoke, walking out of a clearing, he was adorned with a tail and small wolf ears on top of his head, they twitched and pointed at Jeremy who whimpered lightly as the boy popped out his hip and stared a the party.

 **Bianca hissed. "Boys, it's a werewolf," she growled, "Stay back and _don't_ forget to look away. Seriously, what I am about to do  _will_** **give you nightmares. And scar you for the rest of your short little lives.** "

"You wouldn't do that to your betrothed, would you?" the Werewolf said, his yellow eyes lightening up with joy as he teased the Vampire Royalty. Bianca's eyes turned a bright red and she hissed, launching herself at the Werewolves throat, Jeremy and Jackie both looked away, not wanting to see any violence. Though there was a burst of laughter, causing them both to look back to the supernatural creatures. Bianca was sitting on top of the Werewolves chest, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

**Jeremy raised his eyebrow, wrinkling his nose. "Ew," he said, "You two know that there are two younger boys here, right? We did _not_ want to see that."**

**"Toldja," said Bianca with a smirk.**

"You did not, the empathy link has not been working since you left," the Werewolf spoke in Romanian, sitting up and wrapping his arms around the black haired Vampire. She stuck her tongue out and then kissed his cheek before she jumped up off his lap, helping him along with her. He then turned to both of the boys who looked more confused than ever, "I am King Vladimir, it is a pleasure to meet you both," the words seemed to struggle on his tongue, as though he had never spoken English before, his accent was so thick that you could almost not decipher what he was saying.

**A distant howl sounded, and Bianca's eyes widened. She pushed away from Vladimir and said, "Quickly, we must exit the woods. The wolves have our scent."**

**Jeremy blinked. "Um," he started to say, but Bianca wasn't listening.**

**"Follow me, children," she instructed, "Close behind. If you can't keep up then you are goners."**

**"Bianca?" Jeremy asked, his voice becoming increasingly nervous. Bianca ignored him once more.**

"Bianca!" Jackie called out no longer playing the polite game, the Vampire turned to him, her eyes wide with an unamused expression.

"What?" she asked, her Romanian accent bleeding into her words.

"How do you know that those aren't just his pack?" Jeremy said, relieved that his brother had finally got her attention.

**Bianca stared at him for a second as if he were stupid. Then she sighed. "Werewolves have a distinct howl, much different than normal wolves. The wolves that are howling now are bloodthirsty wolves called Dire wolves. They feast on blood and flesh."**

**Jackie shuddered. "Can we get out of here now?" he asked, scared and repulsed.**

"Wait-wait-wait, why are there Dire wolves in Romania?" Jeremy asked, looking a bit dumbfounded. Bianca rolled her eyes and signaled for them both to cast a spell as she grabbed her betrothed hand.

**Jeremy and Jackie exchanged scared looks as they held up their hands, palms out, and began to murmur in ancient Greek, casting a protective bubble around the four of them. Then they began to run as if there was a whole pack of Dire wolves behind them, which there most likely was.**

"Stop," Jackie yelled, he was stuck inside some strange markings on the ground, "I can't move, but if Jeremy helps me then we may be able to teleport us all. But you have to tell me the coordinates," his words were fast and hurried, you could almost see only a blur as he spoke.

**Bianca's eyes darted around nervously as the Dire wolves' howls became closer and closer by the second. Finally she nodded, just once, but enough to give Jackie permission. The two sons of Hecate grasped hands, staring into each other's eyes, and they pooled their energy to teleport. Jeremy grabbed Bianca's arm, she grabbed Vladimir's, and the werewolf hung onto Jackie's hand, creating a loose, ragged circle.**

There was a swirl of light and sound, but soon they all dropped about a foot until they hit the ground, both Jackie and Jeremy passed out when they hit the ground, the quick transport wiping out their weakly trained magic.


	8. Something's Wrong

**"Jeremy? Jackie? Wake up."**

**Jackie groaned and rolled over. He felt like he had been run over by a truck, then a train, then a sixteen-wheeler, and then had been crushed by fifteen 1000-pound dumbbells, but he forced himself into a sitting position. Jackie stood and looked over to where the female voice was coming from**.

"Nicola, I don't feel good, you told me that you wouldn't let this happen again," Jackie said, his eyes trying to focus on the bright light that filled the room. A sharp pain coursed through the left half of his brain, he cried out at the pain splitting through his skull as though someone had embedded an axe in his eye.

**The female voice spoke again, gentler. "Jackie, I'm not Nicola. Who is that anyways? If it's one of your siblings, they're sick, remember? We're on a quest to save them."**

**Jackie blinked, he didn't know who was talking to him but he knew that he had to do something important, a cold feeling of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. Or was that hunger? Jackie couldn't tell.**

"Who?" he asked, swinging his legs over the bed. He didn't know who was talking to him but he knew that he had to find his little sister, she was always so worried without her big brother. "I have to find Evelyne!" His head throbbed with great intensity, but he managed to make it out to the hall before he began dry-heaving. He told himself that he had to bear through it so that he could find his sister. She needed him, he could hear thunder, he knew that the small girl was terrified of thunder, she would be so scared without her big brother.

**The female voice shouted again. "JACKIE! What is going on with you?"**

**Jackie was in a panic now. "Evelyne?"**

**"Jackie, it's me, Bianca. Calm down. Come back."**

**Jackie blinked again. "B-Bianca?"**

**"Yes. Now come back to your bed, you're sick. You need to get better. Come on, now."**

**He knew he was sick but he _had_ to get to his sister. He didn't trust Bianca, someone he didn't know. He could hear soft crying from the next room, his feeling of panic intensified until it was stronger than the nausea.**

"What's a Bianca?" he asked as he was picked up and lain down into bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep.

Jeremy stumbled through the hall, looking for anybody with food. His stomach ached with hunger, he hadn't eaten in several days, but for some reason the normal food that he normally ate, there was some on his bedside table, didn't sound at all appetizing. He wanted milk, and sugar, and a lot of it.

**"Jeremy, what are you doing?" the sharp, heavily accented male voice startled Jeremy. The young boy whirled around to see a very concerned looking Vladimir behind him.**

**"Um, I want cookies," Jeremy said lamely, unsure what else to say.**

"There was a meal enchanted to stay warm at your bedside, you are weak. Why are you out of bed?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"It didn't smell good, I really just want milk and sugar. Or milk and honey," he said, he hadn't wanted milk and honey since he was really young, though he was too hungry to care.

**Vladimir put a large, surprisingly warm hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "Why don't you go back to bed," he said gently, "And I'll bring you something sweet as soon as I finish what I'm doing now? Don't worry, I'll bring you milk too. How about donuts? There's a Monster Donut around here, I'm technically a monster so I can go grab some."**

"Yeah, okay," the tired boy agreed. He turned and started to walk back to his room, using the wall to support his weight. The walls were fancy and well kept, as if they were able to keep it up throughout history and keep the rustic look intact along with it.

**Vladimir looked after him until he disappeared, then the werewolf took a deep breath, his wolfish eyes glancing around furtively. Then he slipped outside. Nobody was there to see his strange smile.**

Jeremy lay in his bed for what seemed like ages, waiting for the werewolf to come back. As he waited, he pulled small pieces of metal out of his pockets, piling them into a pile and casting a small spell that was almost second nature to him, it took none of the small amount of energy out of him, the metal compiled itself into a small headband, through and through pure silver.

**"What are you doing?" said a sharp voice for the second time in an hour, except this time it was a female voice. Jeremy hid the headband under his pillow and looked up at Bianca's startled face.**

"What is that?" she asked, walking gracefully into the room.

"N-nothing," he stuttered out quickly. She looked at him knowingly and then lunged for the pillow, her superior power pulling out, though she immediately dropped it, her hands burnt by the metal.

**"OW," she screamed, "What on Olympus _is_ that? You better tell me right now, or I will take your donuts away."**

**Jeremy rolled his eyes. It sounded ridiculous, but he actually did _not_ want his donuts taken from him, with his craving and all. He hid his longing behind a mask of indifference.**

"It's just a brooch that I made," the words came out as a whisper, "I'm half Brownie after all." He felt blood rush to his cheeks, making them go beet red, to stop himself from speaking anymore he shoved one of the sugar coated donuts into his mouth, whole.

**Bianca stared at him for a moment, disgust and astonishment battling for control on her face. Then she blinked and made a weird noise, then left the room.**

His shoulders slumped and he stood, after he was steadily on the ground, he cast a spell waving his hand over his body, the spell to hide what he really looked like vanished, unveiling tan skin and feathered ears, his nose was also rather bat like, but he didn't care, taking the energy to change it wouldn't be good for him right now.

**He fidgeted with one of his ears, bored and more than a little embarrassed to have accidentally told someone his true identity. He began to cry softly, realizing that he couldn't fool Bianca anymore.**

**Jackie stood shakily, almost insane with worry and fever, he couldn't remember a _thing,_ except for his own name, plus the names of his sister and mentor. He  _had_ to get to that crying, he  _had_ to comfort Evelyne. He reached the doorknob and turned it, a female vampire appeared at the end of the hallway and screamed, "JACKIE! COME BACK NOW!"**

He stood still for a moment, bracing himself on the wall before he looked at her, it took a moment before his fever-addled brain let the black haired girl come into focus. He cocked his head to the side, "Listen, I don't know who you are, but I need to go. Please move."

Bianca creased her brow and looked at him for a moment before she grabbed his arm and lifted him up. She carried his to a separate room, laying him down on the bed and casting a small, common known spell for insomnia. In a moment he was asleep.

**Bianca stared at his tiny, limp body with sadness in her ebony eyes. She placed a pale hand on his forehead, he was still burning with fever. She bit her lip, trying to remember a spell to reduce the heat, but she was not as good of a magician as the Egyptians or children of Hecate.**

At that moment, her eyes lit up, she raced out of the room and down the hall, searching for one person that had eluded her for a dozen years. She flung the library doors open, "Sophie! I need your help! I know we've had our differences, but this boy that is trying to help our camp is gravely ill, please help me and I can give you whatever you need! I promise," the words came out quickly and suddenly, pouring out of her mouth, half of them were in Romanian.

**"Why would you want _my_ help?" Sophie asked slowly, in a snarly sort of voice, "Don't you have dozens at your disposal now,  _Your Highness_?"**

**A giant wolf stepped out of the shadows, its pale blue eyes dark with suspicion. Bianca stepped back once but regained her composure.**

**"Sophie, you are the only one who can help me. As a Worg, you have more knowledge about this than I do."**

"Again, you could have anyone else do it for you, you weren't so keen on me helping when you went into labor now were you?" the wolf growled, baring her teeth.

**Bianca's cheeks burned. "I thought we agreed never to speak of that again?" she hissed, "I need your help _now_. Can we get over our quarrels  _now_ and argue  _later_? This child is about to die!"**

**Sophie regarded the vampire princess with cold eyes. Finally she spoke. "I will help you, but not in the way you desire. There is one in Egypt who is the embodiment of Sekhmet. She can heal the boy."**

"Is there anything that you can do to make him more stable?" Bianca asked, her eyes filled with tears. The Worg sighed and nodded, racing off to the bedroom where Jackie lay asleep.

"Do you remember the song that you heard when you were little? The one that the pop singer found and covered? If you sing it with me, placing a hand next to his heart, while mine rests here then he shall lay dormant until we sing the counter spell," she said, hopping on the bed and laying on of her large paws on one side of the small boys heart. Bianca nodded, placing her hand on the other side, softly they both began to sing,

_"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go,_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light,_

_I remember you said don't leave me here alone,_

_But all that's dead and gone and past tonight,_

_Just close your eyes,_

_The sun is going down, you'll be alright,_

_No one can hurt you now, come morning light,_

_You and I will be safe, and sound_

_Don't you dare look out your window darling everything's on fire,_

_The war outside our door keeps raging on,_

_Hold on to this lullaby,_

_Even when the musics gone,_

_Gone,_

_Just close your eyes,_

_The sun is going down, you'll be all right,_

_No one can hurt you now, come morning light,_

_You and I will be safe and sound,_

_Just close your eyes, you'll be alright,_

_Come morning light, you and I will be safe and sound."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the song used in this chapter


	9. The Alf & the Alp

**"Jeremy, where are you going?" asked Bianca in surprise when she saw the half-Brownie boy, who was dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and hiking boots and wearing a backpack slung over one shoulder. He brushed his hair out of his eyes and looked back at her sadly.**

**"I'm going to search for a cure for my--for, um, Nia and Natalie."**

**He thought they might not be his siblings anymore, as he was not technically a real demigod but more like a nature spirit.**

"You have to let us come with you, you won't make it a day out there without any of us!" Bianca said, anger running thick through her voice. Jeremy shook his head and turned around, tears thick in his pure black eyes. "Come back!" she yelled, angry for him running away from his problems instead of facing them.

**Jeremy wouldn't listen, instead running as fast as he could away from the angry vampire princess. Bianca's anger turned to hopelessness as she turned away, blinking back tears.**

When he was far enough away from the palace, he stopped, leaning over and taking in great gasps of breath. He cast the glamour spell over himself as he walked into a small town. He took a deep breath and walked into a small inn, "One meal please," he asked the keeper.

"Do you want a room?" she asked, he shook his head and seated himself at a small table by the window.

**A petite waitress with slender, pointed ears seemed to glide up to his table, a smile on her pretty face.**

**"What can I get you, hon?" she asked in a sweet soprano voice.**

He felt his shoulders relax at seeing the Alf, "Um, Brownie Special please, I haven't had a proper meal in a while," he said softly, ridding himself of his human appearance.

**"All right," said the pretty Alf, "That's one Brownie Special, coming right up. Would you like something to drink as well?"**

"Honey and milk if you will," he said, reverting back to the speech pattern he had grown accustomed to when he was smaller. She smiled a dazzling smile at him and then walked away, clicking her pen on her pad of paper as she walked over to another table that was filled with Faeries, who were giggling to each other.

**Jeremy smiled slightly, looking around him and noticing that everybody else in the inn was some kind of Fae creature. He saw a few ogres in a booth, gorging on some kind of bloody meat. Just a few seats away from the ogres was a booth full of pixies who were chattering in high-pitched voices. Jeremy's smile grew as he realized that he finally felt at home, more than he had ever felt at Camp Half-Blood.**

He lounged back, smiling at the magical atmosphere. The waitress returned back to him and placed down a meal that glowed lightly, she set down a saucer filled with a yellowish milk, sweet with honey. She also set down a plate filled with cookies that glowed as they were dusted with hardened nectar. Jeremy felt his eyes light up and the waitress laughed, "You haven't had a good meal in a long, long time, have you sweetheart?"

**Jeremy smiled sheepishly. "No ma'am," he said, "I've been posing as a human for years. Human food just doesn't have the same taste as Alf-made food."**

**She blushed at that. "Oh stop it," she giggled, "It's not _that_ amazing."**

"When you've been eating apples and barbecued meat for five years it is," he joked, flashing a dazzling smile at the Alf. She smiled and let him eat in peace. Though, this luxury only lasted a few moments before someone with grey skin, pointed ears, and sharp teeth slid into the booth across from him.

**Jeremy tried to ignore the creature, but it was eyeing him almost hungrily, as if it had recognized him.**

"Can I help you?" the brownie asked, looking up from his meal with distaste.

"Listen, as an Alp, I hate asking favors more than any other Fae creature, but you know the Werewolf king, and I need to see him. He has something of mine," the fae said quietly, almost whispering the words.

**Jeremy blinked. "What does he have that's yours?" he asked, "I have to know what I'm dealing with before I agree to help."**

**The Alp narrowed his hungry eyes and didn't answer for a second. When it did, its voice was so quiet Jeremy had to lean in close to hear it.**

"He has my tarnkappe," the Alp said, its voice now so low no one else could hear them, "he doesn't realize that he can control me with the stupid thing. Yet. Which is why I need it back, I thought you might be able to help son of Hecate."

**"H-how do you know I'm a son of Hecate?" Jeremy stammered. He hadn't been _that_ obvious, had he? He looked down at himself, trying to see himself in the Alp's eyes.**

**The creature laughed, a hoarse, grating sound. "Alps have special senses, don't you remember me anyway Jeremy?"**

Jeremy shook his head, the memories before camp were all a bit fast-lived and rather fuzzy, he couldn't make out meeting this Alp anywhere. "I'm offended Jer, after all I raised you for quite some time." the gray-skinned creature exclaimed.

**"I'm sorry, I can't remember a whole lot from before I masqueraded as human," the half-brownie apologized, "What's your name again?"**

"Amanda," the Alp said, her sharp teeth baring themselves as she smiled. Jeremy shivered and then slid his mostly finished meal away, standing and heading out of the bar with the grey-skinned fae tailing him closely.


	10. Goodbye, Color

Natalie groaned, sweat from her fever dropped off of her brow, she felt another roll of nausea wash over her and she sat straight up, not opening her eyes as she turned to the side, vomiting so hard the bile came out of her nose.

**"Natalie," said an alarmed female voice, "Lie back down before you die, please?"**

**Natalie forced her eyes open. She nearly screamed.**

"Holy Hera! What the Hades happened to the color?" she asked, nearly hysterical with the fact that all of the color had faded from her normally vibrant world, the only color that she saw was the orange lips of the other sickly demigods laying next to her.

"Lay back down!" the female voice called again, and this time the sick demigod fell back onto her bed.

**A gray figure walked over to her bed, the demigod's posture regal. Natalie dimly recognized her colorless face as Reyna's, though the Roman praetor had the lower half of her face covered by a piece of cloth, so she looked sort of like a ninja. "R-Reyna," Natalie mumbled.**

"Ninja, oh gods I'm so delirious," Natalie groaned, rolling over and placing her aching head on her pillow.

"Drink this," the praetor demanded, handing her a glass of water and a small pill.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be commanding troops or something?" Natalie asked, gulping down the liquid as easily as she could, it hurt to swallow, she made a pained face and then wrinkled her nose as her body threatened to send the water back up.

"We're running short on medical personnel," Reyna said quickly and briskly before she went to tend to someone else.

**Natalie couldn't bear the sight of only the color orange, so she shut her eyes, focusing on not throwing up. Her head hurt, and she was freezing cold. She shivered violently.**

**"Apex," shouted someone, "Get Miss Cornnan some more medicine and keep her warm!"**

**A familiar voice shouted back, "I'll be there as soon as I can. I just brought in Praetor Zhang."**

**Reyna's voice cursed. "Frank's infected?" she asked, her voice panicky, "Get him to a private ward! We need to put a quarantine on this place."**

Natalie shivered, slowly drifting in and out of consciousness, her head throbbed and the words that everyone were saying made no sense, she couldn't understand anything. She curled up and hugged the blanket closer to her. After a moment, her body began to move on it's own, she swung her legs out of bed and began to walk back and forth across the infirmary, she was hallucinating, and she knew it, it was almost like she was in the back of her mind, letting someone else control the wheel.

**Someone said something, she couldn't understand them, all she knew was she had to get home. Her brothers would be so scared, wondering what had happened to their sister while she was at Camp Jupiter.**

**A hand grasped her shoulder, pulling her back from the door, someone was saying something but Natalie could not understand. She tried to shrug off the hand but it was too strong.**

"Nia," she cried, wanting to get back to her sister more than anything.

"Bed," the voice said, bringing her back to the bed and laying her down. She was restless as she made an attempt to sleep.

**The person that had put her into bed placed a blanket on top of her, it wasn't too thin and it wasn't too smothery, so she snuggled up to it. The scratchy fabric chafed against her skin, but she didn't mind. She was cold. She needed warmth. She needed... Bea.**

"I want Bea," she whispered, her throat hoarse and scratchy, forcing her to cough.

The person sighed, "I'll see what I can do," before they walked away, leaving her for the moment. When they returned, there was someone with them, leaning on the person very heavily.

"Bea?" Natalie questioned, the girl nodded and she slowly crawled into the bed, snuggled up to her friend, and they just lay there.

**Natalie's headache began to clear, though her vision stayed black-and-white-and-orange, annoyingly enough. Bea's lips were orange as well, though not as vividly. Her black eyes looked alert.**

"Stay?" Natalie asked through another coughing fit.

"Of course," Bea whispered, holding her friend closer.


	11. Back Home

**"Nia," whispered a hoarse male voice, "When are your brothers going to be home?"**

**Nia coughed, it sounded hollower than last time, she knew that the disease was eating at her throat and she didn't have much longer. She pushed aside that depressing thought to answer Steve Jerecs, the son of Hermes who was lying next to her.**

**"Soon, hopefully," she answered, sounding like she had Laryngitis, "We won't last much longer." as if to prove her point, another coughing fit overwhelmed her. The coughs racked her body, hurting her throat. Her limited vision grew hazy, the orange spots of other campers' shirts and lips growing momentarily more vibrant.**

"Please get back soon, we already lost Robin," Stardust whispered as she ran over to some of the other campers that were currently puking their guts out. Nia shivered, wishing that she knew if her siblings were back. She wanted to know where they were, she wanted to know if they were safe.

**Will came over. Nia only knew it was him because of his non-orange lips and his surgeon's mask around his neck.**

**"Nia, you feeling okay?" Will asked, "I can give you some more ambrosia if you need it."**

"I just want my sister to be okay. And my brothers," she whispered, sitting up on her pillows as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"They'll be back soon," Will reassured.

Nia nodded and lay her head back on the pillows, allowing her eyes to drift closed. Her body relaxed for a moment.

**"That's right," Will murmured, "Get all the rest you can."**

**He walked away, probably to check on his boyfriend who wasn't eating anything again.**


	12. Pride and Anger

Jeremy and Amanda had been walking for what felt like an eternity, though the son of Hecate could see water in the distance. "You never did tell me why you needed this Tarnkappe back," Jeremy pointed out, raising his eyebrows at the fae.

**Amanda looked uncomfortable. "I don't like to talk about it," she whispered, "But for you I'll make an exception, since bargaining with Vladimir is dangerous work.**

"The Tarnkappe is what controls all of my power. If someone has it then they can make me do anything that they want me to till they give it back. I'm just glad that he took it as a trophy. The freak," she swore in the language of the fae and the Brownie shivered, sensing just how strong she would be if she had the one piece of her clothing she truly needed.

**"Um," he mumbled, "I'll think about it. In the meantime, why don't you order something? We can eat here and then figure something out."**

"I thought I might find you here," a worn out voice spoke from behind them, Amanda jumped slightly and then walked away, not caring about the other fae. Jeremy turned on his heel and was surprised to see that Bianca was standing there, looking rather cross.

**"Who are you consorting with, Jeremy?" the vampire princess said sharply, "Alps are not to be trusted."**

**Jeremy glared. "This one raised me, Bianca. I can trust her."**

**Bianca didn't seem to believe him. She crossed her arms, glaring back.**

"You rejected me for being who I was, are you really going to reject this Alp, just because of their bad reputation? Are you really that biased? You know what, I was in love with you. I thought it was awesome when I found out that you were Fae, but now I have no idea how your people still love and adore you the way that they do. If you are just going to be rude to us the whole way through this quest with your wolf-slave over there, then I think we need to buy some duct tape."

Amanda's cheeks were a bright shade of grey when the brownie finished, she patted him on the shoulder and puffed her chest out like a proud mama.

**Bianca, however, looked offended and shocked. "I... I'm not _rude_ ," she protested, but then changed the subject and said quietly, "You were in  _love_ with me?"**

"Yes. I was. But you're insulting the woman that I called mother, and I think that you either need to stop or you need to stop," Jeremy said, memories rushing back to him and his head felt like it was going to burst.

**Both Amanda and Bianca looked at him then, confused. "I need to stop or I need to stop? What's that supposed to mean?" Bianca asked, "Jeremy, are you okay? You look pale."**

"I remember everything," he whispered, stumbling slightly before Amanda caught him, looking concerned for the Brownie that she had raised. He waved her off and then turned, grabbing her hand and dragging her in the proper direction. Their footsteps were heavy as they dragged themselves through the slightly muddy land.

**Bianca stared after them, her ebony eyes swimming with unshed tears as she whispered, "You _loved_ me."**

**But Jeremy and Amanda didn't look back as they traveled farther and farther away from the vampire princess.**

"What was that all about, love?" Amanda asked as she looked over to the fae that she had raised.

"I don't care that she was insulting me but no one insults my mama," he said. His eyes angry as he remembered her harsh words.

**Amanda blushed and smiled, hugging her adopted son. "You were so brave, dear," she said, "Thank you."**

**Jeremy hugged her back with a huge smile. "Well," he said, "You deserve to be respected."**

"I wish that you had the childhood that you deserved," she said, caressing his blue tinted skin. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes as her fingers ran along his cheekbone.

"You did the best you could, Mom," he said with a small smile. She smiled back at him, a proud smile covering her face as he reached up and kissed her cheek.

"Now, where are we going?" she asked, getting back to the mission, "after all, you have some sisters to save."

**Jeremy thought for a moment. "Well," he said, "I did take that detour to the inn, but we're supposed to be heading for Egypt. Apparently the magicians have some kind of a cure for the Orange Cough."**

**"All right then," said Amanda, "We'd best either get going or go back to the inn for the night. It's getting rather late." she pointed to the sun, which was just starting to dip behind the mountains, turning the sky a brilliant red.**

"Wait. What about you kappe?" Jeremy asked, looking at her with a deep confusion. She beamed for a moment before she looked down at the ground.

"I raised you so well. I think that saving your entire camp is just a little more important than saving me, I am ancient after all," the alp said, her grey skin stretching as she smiled at him. Her eyes were sad, but deep inside they both knew that she was right.

**Bianca sat dejectedly on her throne, staring at nothing. Her dark eyes were glassy as she muttered to herself, her expression a mixture of depression and misery.**

"  _What happened, Love_?" her fiance asked in their native tongue, as he entered the room. His black tail hung almost in between his legs and his ears were flat against his mane of hair.

**"Nothing," Bianca said, perhaps too hastily, "I'm fine, dear. Don't worry."**

**Vladimir's eyes narrowed. It was obvious he didn't believe her. "I think I know when my mate is upset," he said.**

**She put her hands over her eyes and took a deep breath.**

**"It was Jeremy, okay?" she sighed, "He said he loved me, and then walked away. Not that I love him back," she added quickly as her fiance began to growl, "It's just, well, abrupt. I was shocked."**

"Where is he? You said that you would bring him back to the safety of the castle," Vladimir said softly, taking her hand in his own. Her eyes fell and she looked up into the soft blue eyes that her fiance had. "He found his mother," he said, realizing what had been said through their mental link and answering his own question. She nodded and leaned into him, letting the heat of his body flow into her permanently cold one.

**"I love you, dearest," Vladimir hissed, stroking his fiance's silky black hair, "You mean the world to me."**

**She looked up. "Where have you been, by the way?" she asked him, "You seem to be out of the palace a lot."**

"Ah, that is something that I have been meaning to speak with you about for a long time," his words were forced and awkward, his eyes nervously darted around the room for a moment before he looked back at the vampiric Princess.

"What?" she asked quickly, fearing the worst.

"I have been lying to you, my Queen," he said, his words a hushed whisper.

**She stared at him with those endless eyes. "About what?" she whispered, her face growing fearful.**

**Vladimir hung his wolfish head in shame. "I--I have been spying on you for Corteck, the king of the Worgs."**

She stood up before turning to him, shimmering tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she stared. Under the betrayal and hatred in the obsidian black eyes, he cowered, refusing to look at his mate. "Get out," she whispered, her hands shaking with anger.

"What?" the werewolf asked in a small voice.

"GET OUT. NOW," she screamed, vampiric voice resonating through the castle and shattering several of the windows.

**Vladimir whimpered, a very undignified sound, and hightailed it out of the gilded doors, dodging several large shards of glass on the way. Bianca was left alone in her palace, surrounded by glass and a dark aura of anger.**

**After a minute, her suddenly weak anger dissolved, and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing and desolate.**


	13. The Dreamscape

Nothingness stretched ahead of the confused boy, allowing him to see throbbing lights and resonating walls that were keeping him trapped in his own mind. Voices shouted over each other, allowing a headache to attack his already fragile state. He gripped his head on his head with his nails digging into his scalp.

Then, a voice broke through, it was masculine, and sturdy, "Jackie," it rang out through the corridor of his mindscape, "You're okay. Come with me."

**Jackie whimpered, overwhelmed. "Wh-who are you?" he asked, "Where are you?"**

**"Don't panic," said the male voice, "if you follow me, I can show you something special."**

**Jackie still didn't trust the voice very much, but he followed it anyway, eager to get away from the horrible shouting voices around him. A smooth, warm hand took his and led him farther and farther away from the nothingness.**

They entered a small room that opened up as soon as the son of Hecate had grabbed the other male's hand. As they crossed into it, the bright light fading and showing a small amount of light. Colors filled the room from the sunset outside of the large glass windows. The room was large and full of others, who were all sitting and lightly chatting with each other.

**It was here that Jackie first glimpsed his guide. What he saw made him gasp.**

**The boy was only a little taller than Jackie himself, with stylishly messy black hair and dancing green eyes. His skin was a light brown color. He smiled at Jackie.**

**_Oh my gods, he's gorgeous,_ thought Jackie.**

"Hey, we can talk now," the boy's voice was like a warm scarf on a cold winter's morning. It wrapped around Jackie and swam through his ear into his head and stuck there. He dumbly nodded, too busy admiring his savior to speak.

**Finally he found his voice. "Who are you?" he asked in a breathless voice. The boy laughed, his smile was the most gorgeous thing that the son of Hecate had ever seen.**

**"My name's Liam, nice to meet you Jackie."**

**Jackie managed a smile. His eyes were still locked on the beautiful boy in front of him.**

**Liam laughed again. "Don't you want to know where we are?" he asked in a teasing voice.**

"I-wha-uh," Jackie stuttered, blood flushing into his cheeks. The fact that they were still holding hands became very evident to him, and he quickly pulled away. "Yes," he whispered. "Yes. I would like to know where we are."

**Liam's gorgeous eyes twinkled. "We're in your dreamscape now," he said, "It's safer here than where you were before. Stay in there too long, and you'll go insane."**

**"How are you even here?" asked Jackie. Liam winked at him.**

**"I'm a son of Hypnos," he replied.**

"Oh," Jackie said. "Wait. If this is MY dreamscape, then who are all these people? And what in Tartarus was that out of the door?" he added, pressing his hands together behind his back as he remembered the feeling of Liam's hand in his.

"That was your subconscious, people you cared about were calling out to you and trying to get you to do something. We can go back later and find out what that was but for now all you need to know is you're safe," Liam said, his tone turning soft, "as for all the people in here, this is a safe haven that all people have in their mindscape. You can stay here almost forever without going mad. Most of the people in here are in comas or under spells. Others are just asleep. Now come with me, I want you to meet someone."

**"Okay," said Jackie, hesitantly taking Liam's hand again. An electric current went between them and Jackie yanked his hand away, feeling himself blush again. Liam raised his eyebrows but didn't object as Jackie settled for following behind him.**

They walked through the hall, darting around sleeping bodies and small children playing games. "Who am I going to meet?" Jackie asked, his eyebrows raised as they walked.

"Someone you knew a long, long time ago," Liam replied, his voice growing softer until they reached the corner of the room that had been turned into a small reading loft. Books littered the floor and pillows lined the window seat.

**She was so small, Jackie almost didn't notice her at first.**

**A little girl sat snuggled in the pillows on the window seat, reading an especially large tome. When the two boys approached she looked up.**

"Oh my gods," he whispered, rushing over to the tiny girl. "Evelyn, oh gods I missed you so much." Tears streamed down his cheeks as he held her tightly in his arms. She hugged him back, blubbering into his chest.

"I love you, big brother," she said when they finally pulled apart. Jackie pulled her into his lap and hugged her again, rocking them back and forth as he made sure she was really there, in his arms.

**Liam was watching the siblings with a wistful smile on his face. Jackie glanced up at him. "What's up, Liam?"**

**Liam blinked. "H'm? Oh, um, nothing. I just, well, I used to have a sister like that."**

**"What happened to her?" asked Evelyn, "Did she die?"**

**Liam nodded, his eyes downcast now. "I checked with Nico and--"**

**"You know Nico?" asked Jackie. Liam rolled his eyes.**

**"Well, everyone knows Nico, don't they?" he said. "Now as I was saying, I checked with Nico and she did make it to Elysium, but still, never seeing her again..." he cleared his throat self-consciously. "Sorry, I'm ruining your moment."**

"Sit!" Evelyn demanded, smacking her childish hand down on the pillow next to her. Liam laughed, which sent chills up Jackie's spine. The son of Hypnos sat down next to the siblings and then pulled a small book out from under the cushion.

It took almost an hour for Evelyn to let either of them leave to do what they needed to. Jackie watched his sister reluctantly from the corner of his eye as he walked away, making sure she did not disappear. "You want to talk?" he asked the other male, who simply nodded.

**"So," said Jackie, "What happened to Evelyn? Why is she here of all places?"**

**Liam sighed. "She's in an extended coma, induced by a strange illness called Orange Cough. You may have heard of it?"**

**"No," said Jackie, straining to remember.**

"Well, you will eventually. Also, I wanted to go see what those voices wanted. I should tell you that call them Promises, by the way. Come on, we need to solve them all before we actually get you out of here," Liam said, his shoulders dropping when it came to letting Jackie return to the waking world.

**Jackie wasn't looking forward to it either, but he nodded and followed Liam past all the chatting people and to the door they had first come through.**


	14. Drifting Away

Natalie felt her breathing pick up, getting faster for a moment before calming down. Her heart stalled in her chest and the heavy blanket on top of her seemed to increase her burning fever. She tossed her head to the side, trying to use vocal cords that had already been eaten by her plague.

**Bea sat by her side, stroking her blond curls and murmuring hoarsely. One hand was on Natalie's chest, tensing slightly whenever Natalie's heart stopped momentarily.**

Voices spoke gently over her, whispering to each other as they looked her over. Natalie strained to open her eyes, which were almost sealed closed by dried tears. When she did, all she saw was the daughter of Pluto, "...doesn't have long...send...message," were the only words that she managed to get out of the dialogue. She was dying, and she knew it.

**A teardrop fell on Natalie's hot cheek, and she knew Bea was crying. Her friend, nearly as sick as she was but loyally staying by her side, whispered in a heartbroken tone, "Nat, please don't go. You need to hold on for your brothers and sister... and me."**

Her mouth opened for a moment and then closed. She cleared some of the goop that blocked her from speaking from her throat and opened her mouth again, hoarse words barely made it out from her lips, "I love you, Bea." She began to slip away, the life fading out of her eyes rapidly. Bea began to scream the best she could. Natalie's hand fell limp and the rest of her body relaxed as she finally died.

**Bea's scream faded into uncontrolled sobbing as she threw herself on the lifeless body of her best friend. Her heart shattered at the loss, and grief closed her throat. She couldn't hear anything except the dying words of her friend... _I love you, Bea_.**


	15. Devastation

Nia lifted herself out of bed, her eyesight was blurry but she knew where she was going. "What are you doing out of bed?" Stardust asked as she placed a firm hand in the middle of the sickly girl's chest.

"Natalie," Nia whispered as she tried to move around the other girl. Her vision began to clear as she walked further out of the infirmary.

**"Nia! Get back to your bed!" Stardust cried, "You're sick enough already."**

"I need to go to her," the girl said hoarsely. The daughter of Apollo simply shook her head and tried to get the girl to lie back down. Nia pushed past her, walking out of the infirmary despite all of the people that were trying to stop her from doing so.

**Two girls were sitting together just outside. One of them, who had mottled orange, white and black hair, looked up in alarm. She jumped up.**

**"Nia!" she cried, "You're out of bed? What's up?"**

**The other girl, who had mousy brown hair, rolled her mismatched eyes. "Sara, stop worrying. Nia can take care of herself."**

**"But Nora, she needs to know. Nia, are you looking for Natalie?"**

"Sis......ter," she strained, talking with what was left of her vocal cords. The girl's eyes widened and she stared at the child of Hecate.

"Her magic is so strong," the girl said, her eyes turning into small slits as she communicated with someone only she could hear. "Nora, can you please get one of the Apollo campers to go with Nia to the Roman camp, with as much magic that she has collected and a little push from me I'm sure she can make it all the way to the Roman camp with magic."

"I **'ll get Stardust," Nora said, standing up. She was almost as tall as Nia.**

"Sit down for a moment alright," Sara said, placing her hands on the older girl's shoulders. Nia nodded and sat, breathing harshly as she tried to get enough oxygen into her lungs.

**In a flash, Nora was back, followed by Stardust, who was looking rather worried. She helped Nia to her feet and clasped her hand. Sara readied herself.**

**"Ready, Nia?" the Egyptian magician asked, "I'll need your cooperation on this."**

**Nia managed a nod, already beginning to focus the majority of her magic into a tunnel that led across North America, all the way to California.**

In a moment, they were gone, no longer remaining in that field of existence. They fell for a moment, finally in the Roman Camp. "N-al-ie," Nia said, her voice straining to speak.

Reyna sat on the step just outside of the infirmary, her head lay in her hands and a mask covered her mouth and nose. She looked up, her dark eyes widening as she saw the two girls. "What are you doing here?" she asked accusingly.

"Sis," Natalie's voice cut off into a hacking fit and she staggered before Sara caught the weaker female.

**Reyna's face fell and a tear streaked down her face. "I can take you to her," she whispered, "But you won't like it."**

**Suddenly Nia could hear the unmistakeable sound of crying from inside and her courage wavered. A billion horrible scenarios ran through her head. She gulped but squared her shoulders as much as she could, then nodded. Sara looked fearful. "Take us in," she said, speaking for the both of them**.

They walked into the small infirmary, several preserved bodies lay in there with clothes covering their foreheads. Nia collapsed down to the ground, orange tinted tears streaming down her face. On one of the beds lay her sister. She stood up shakily and walked over to the bed that contained her sister. A small figure lay next to her, she was deathly small, her cheeks and eyes were sunken into her skull. "Bea, what are you doing here?" Reyna asked as she lifted the small girl up and dragged her back to another room.

Nia, still in shock over her sister's bed, took the now cold and stiff hand in her own. "I failed you," she whispered, "I cared about you and I tried so hard but I have failed you."


	16. Spun Around

**After a while of feeling sorry for herself, Bianca finally picked herself up from the floor, carefully avoiding shards of stained glass that were littered around her.**

**"Vladimir has betrayed me," she whispered to herself, and the words rang true. Saying them made them real, irreversible.**

**She had a sudden desire to abandon her palace and run after Jeremy and Amanda. She wanted to apologize, to earn Jeremy's trust back... maybe even his love.**

When she got outside, the cold air hit her heated skin harshly. She shivered and pressed forward, determined to find them that night. She twisted, turning back into the form that she was most used to. Large wings flapped on her back as she flew, searching for where the other two had made camp for the night.

The clouds made her hair wet, which she was not too happy about. Small lights lay in the town below, she watched them fly by with a small smile, this was just like how she had first seen her Kingdom outside of maps.

**She set down on the ground and the memory forced its way into her head.**

**_She was much younger, and in a band of traveling, half-starved vampires. Everyone they had gone to for supplication had refused them, leaving them on the road, slowly dying from hunger._ **

**_Bianca was being carried by her older brother, Alaric. She was weak and sick, shivering in the cold, leaning against Alaric's warm chest. His arms tightened around her._ **

**_Her older sister Kathryx murmured, "Want me to take her? You've been carrying the poor girl for ages."_ **

**_Alaric sighed. "She's not heavy, Kat," he said, "And I don't think she can stand to be moved right now. She's much too frail."_ **

_"I feel so bad about this," Kathryx said, her hair falling into her eyes._

_"Don't blame this on yourself. How were you supposed to know that this was Kitsune land?" Alaric sighed, his sunken eyes looking down at the younger girl at his side._

_"Dang foxes," Kathryx swore, coughing for a moment before looking over to her sister. "We're going to have to fly."_

**_"But maybe not," said an old woman, her voice hushed, "Look."_ **

**_Bianca managed to turn her little head. What she saw made her forget her hunger and gasp._ **

**_A beautiful, glittery palace spread out below the crest where the band of vampires stood. There was no explanation, no way to find out why the castle was there or who it belonged to. But Bianca felt a strange connection to that palace, a mysterious bond she could not understand fully as a small child._ **

_"Go, go, go," her older siblings shouted at each other, rushing towards the large castle. They stumbled over rocks and random sticks that were nowhere near where they should have been. When they finally ended up in the higher light of the castle, they were all shivering with the anticipation of a shelter and a decent meal._

**_Kathryx was crying and Alaric was breathing hard. Bianca could do nothing but stare at the beauty of the palace, images flashing through her head of a glorious future for the vampires, led by a very special queen indeed..._ **

**Bianca gasped and pulled herself out of the memory. Her wings had shrank into her back again, and she was crouching on frost-encrusted grass.**

She took a deep breath, clearing her head. She glanced around her, not seeing the sign of the town that she had been searching for. A scream escaped her mouth, echoing through the forest.

Close by, Jeremy's head shot up, looking around as the shriek echoed through his mind. He glanced over to her mother, "What was that, Mom?" he asked, his brow furrowed together. The aforementioned Alp's eyes were large with shock and concern.

"We need to go see who that was!" Amanda said, her eyes wide with worry. Jeremy stood from their poorly made camp, looking at his mother and began to walk towards where the sound had originated from. They slowly began to pick up the pace, getting faster and faster with every yard.

When they had run for about half a mile, Amanda stopped, her eyes grew even wider than they had been before. "It's her. And them," she said the last word with an absolute tone of disgust.

**"Okay, I think I get what you mean by 'her'," Jeremy said, "But what do you mean by 'them'?"**

**"The people who took my Tarnkappe," Amanda said abruptly, "With that vampire. The Queen."**

**Jeremy wasn't surprised. He nodded grimly. "Let's face them," he said bravely, "Maybe we can scare them off."**

"Not likely," Amanda said, her hand drifted down to the Rosary that hung on her hip, "these are the type of fae that slip into your mind and make you do treacherous things."

"Ew," Jeremy said, scrunching up his nose. Amanda turned as she heard another ear-piercing scream. The young Brownie's eyes widened and he began to sprint, "Let's go Mom!"

Amanda followed quickly after her son, barely keeping up as he began to float. "That's my boy," she said under her breath. She continued to sprint next to the flying Brownie.

Jeremy stopped short as he saw a hunched over figure, almost a mile away from them. "Where is it?" Amanda asked, looking over at her son.

"There," he said. His finger was pointing just across from them.

"I see it over there," Amanda said, her brows furrowed.

"What? How do we see it in another place than it is?" Jeremy asked, confused.

"Kitsunes," Amanda turned and swore as she dug her hands deep into her pale locks. Jeremy cocked his head to the side as he watched his mother spew profanities in German. "Kitsunes used to just stay in Japan until they were all forced to come to Romania like most of the Fae. After all, it is one of the most spiritual places on our Earth."

"What do Kitsunes do?"

"They have little to no actual powerful magic, unlike alps, but they are worse tricksters than Pixies. They use something only they can use, called 'Kitsune Magic', they weren't very inventive. They use it to make sure that no one finds their way into their territory, and if someone does find their way in they make sure that they can't get out. Ever."

"Oh," the Brownie said, his ears falling down a bit. "Well then what do we do?"

"We go the opposite way that they want us to," Amanda replied, her voice stern, "Kitsunes don't usually mess too harshly with Brownies, after all sweetie," her hand lifted up to cup his cheek, "your magic, once it sets in, will be more powerful than a kitsune. Too bad your ancestors used to only use it to steal from humans."

"So we go the way that I can see?" Jeremy asked, his eyes shouting out that he was confused. Amanda nodded and closed her eyes.

"Tell me where to go," she said, sliding her hand into his.

**"Okay," Jeremy said, gauging the distance between the two of them and the hunched over figure, "we're going to walk a few steps to the left, like this... yeah. Now we're going to walk forward until we get there, I guess. It's not that far, really. Wait. Actually..."**

**Amanda smiled, her eyes still closed. "Just pull me along, honey," she said, "Then neither of us will get confused."**

**Jeremy blushed. "Good idea," he said, fixing his eyes on the figure and pulling his mother along with him as he headed toward it.**

The figure was humanoid, and shivering. The shivering was not from the apparent lack of cold that seemed to flock away from the forest. "Bianca?" Jeremy asked as he reached his hand out for the figure, who spun around.

The vampire Queen looked weak and malnourished, as if she had been flying around the forest for days. "Help," the word was almost in Romanian as the girl fell back, her eyes sunken into her skull and filled with fear that cast it's way down her face in the form of salt water droplets. Jeremy quickly let go of his mother's hand and surged forward to catch the fallen queen. Amanda's eyes opened and she backed away from the Vampire as if there was something physically repelling her from where the other female was.

**Jeremy stared at the malnourished-looking Vampire girl. "What happened to you, Bianca?" he murmured. She groaned and shook her head.**

**"Need to say... sorry," she rasped, "I was... stupid. Shouldn't have... treated you... badly."**

"Don't speak, pale one," Amanda commanded. Bianca shut her mouth and stood the best she could while taking assistance from the Brownie.

**"I may still be wary of your people," Amanda said, "but you obviously need help. You're not yourself."**

**Bianca tried to nod but something seemed to restrain her. Jeremy looked puzzled. "What--?" he started to ask, but one look from his mother and he fell silent as well.**

"Come, we need to get back to the camp. And find my tarnkappe," Amanda's voice was stern and set, Jeremy chose not to argue with his mother. They walked straight out of the clearing, walking into a large house with stone columns that reached up to the sky.

"Mom, where are we?" the young brownie asked, his voice quiet and scared. The vampire in his arm seemed to grow heavier by the moment. Amanda fell, her eyes sunk with the lack of power.


	17. Side Quest One

"So what is the first thing that we need to do?" Jackie asked the other male. His eyes flitted away from the other male as he tried to focus on the one thing that was least beautiful part of Liam.

"Well, we have some quests that we need to do. A lot of them involve things that I do every day, so I will come with you. I say that I do these everyday, I do not mean that it will be easy. Are you prepared for this? It will help with the quest that you were not able to finish," Liam said, sighing as he looked through the papers.

"I am prepared to, yes," Jackie said. Butterflies fluttered around his stomach and he shifted around nervously. "What is the first quest?"

"We have to find a lost soul and bring her back to the sanctuary. She is currently with your older brother, but she is not stable right now. There is another woman who we may encounter on the way, but she knows her way to the sanctuary. C'mon, let's go," he said, standing from his position on the floor.

**"Okay," said Jackie, trying to sound brave and standing as well, "How are we going to do that?"**

**"Just follow me," Liam said with one of his gorgeous smiles. Jackie was captivated. "Okay," he repeated, following the other boy as he began to walk.**

The halls of the haven were quiet, per the usual as they day occupants talked quietly. Most of them were either permanent occupants or adults that were forced to work the graveyard shift. "What are we going to be doing?" Jackie asked. Liam sighed.

"There is a little girl having nightmares every night, she recently fell ill and so we're going to go find her and bring her back to the Haven," Liam replied, his eyes were sad like this was something he had had to deal with many times before, and from talking to the son of Hypnos, it was something he had to do everyday.

**"All right," Jackie said, "How do we do that?"**

**Liam stared into the distance, the sparkle gone from his green eyes. "Very carefully. Where we're going, nightmares are tangible. They can drag you down into endless torture, and we don't need that."**

**Jackie gulped and nodded. "Okay," he said in a small voice, clinging tighter to Liam's warm hand. The other boy smiled slightly, but the twinkle had still not come back to his eyes. Jackie could tell Liam was nervous.**

They finally walked out of the Haven, and stepped directly into a dream. Colors swirled around them violently and two people hovered over a smaller figure who was hunched over in a defensive position.

**"You are worthless," one of the people shouted at the small figure, "You will never amount to anything."**

**"You have made everyone else fail," said the other person, "It is all your fault. Everybody hates you."**

**The figure sobbed. "Please, I tried!" it cried in a young girl's voice, "I'm sorry! Let me go!"**

"Your trying isn't good enough, try harder," tears streamed down the young girl's face. Liam's face was tense and stressed as he walked over to the crying girl.

"Leave." His voice was commanding and stern, forcing the other two figures to turn into a shimmering mist that soon dropped into the dark colored carpeted floor of the night-terror. "Think of something pleasant child. What is your most favorite thing in the world?" the son of Hypnos asked, kneeling down next to the small child, his voice had changed from stern to a voice that Jackie thought was only held by mothers.

"My mama," she answered, smiling a crooked grin that held gaps where teeth were soon to be. "But she doesn't like me any more."

Jackie's heart clenched as he watched the small girl begin to tear up as she thought of the mother that no longer loved her. "Just think of your favorite memory of her and let it take over you. I have to go now, but remember that memory whenever you get scared to sad, alright?" The little girl simply nodded and Liam stood, walking past as she began to fade into the mist that surrounded their ankles.

"Was that it?" Jackie asked, walking over to the other demigod.

"What we're facing is going to be much harder than a simple night terror," Liam replied, tearing a hole into the wall of the dream they had just shifted.

**Jackie bit his lip. "I was afraid of that," he whispered, "But wasn't that the girl who needed help?"**

**"That was one version of her," Liam said grimly, "We need to find the other pieces of her split consciousness and save them all from their nightmares, most of them will be much, much worse than this one I just dispelled. Something's attacking this girl... for unknown reasons."**

**"Wait," said Jackie, "Answer me this... why is her consciousness split?"**

**"I have no idea," Liam said, meeting Jackie's eyes, "And that's what scares me."**

"Do you know her name?" the son of Hecate asked, his eyes filled with worry and concern.

"No," Liam replied before pulling Jackie over to a section of the woods that would give them a small amount of cover. "Be silent," he whispered, pearly teeth grabbed onto his perfectly shaped lips.

Jackie slipped his hand around Liam's arm he muttered a few words before they both vanished from the star covered bear's sight. "Why?" Jackie whispered, bending over from the pain of having to keep the spell active.

"That's Ursa Minor," Liam said, "this girl had an enccounter with an effing Ursa Minor."

**"I assume that's bad," Jackie whispered. Liam rolled his leaf-colored eyes.**

**"Of course it's bad," the son of Hypnos whispered, "It's even worse than those demons back there. It's probably the worst nightmare out there, actually."**

**Jackie swallowed. "How did I get dragged into this?" he muttered, his face white as a sheet, "I'm really scared of bears. Long story."**

"Tell it to me later okay," Liam said quietly. "Take the spell down," Jackie did as he was told and brought down the spell. The young boys surged forward, fully ready to cause harm to the bear.

"Stop!" a voice called. Jackie did as he was told and froze in place as he watched an older boy hop off of the bear. His face was shrouded in darkness, though it looked more like facepaint than actual shadows. "What are you doing here?" his voice was thick with accent and he moved like the animal that he had been riding til a moment before.

"Fuck, we're in the wrong dream," Liam whispered.

**"How does that even happen?" Jackie muttered, "I thought you would have this kind of thing more under control, being a child of Hypnos and all."**

"Even I make mistakes," Liam retorted. "Sorry sir, we're just going to get going now." Liam's hands were shaking as he watched the tattooed boy come closer to him.

"Son of dreams, do not think that I will overlook this. We are still coming. No one is safe anymore," the boy spoke in a gruff voice, walking towards the two Greek demigods. Liam backed up and grabbed some of the dream, he twisted it like he was opening the door and it slipped open, allowing both males to fall through into another dream.

Jackie opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a familiar sounding voice. "What are you doing here?"

"We-we're here to help," Liam said before he clasped a hand over his mouth. He turned over and vomited, all of the color slipping from his face. "Someone's trying to wake me up, Jackie. I have to go. You can do this, I believe in you." When he finished speaking, he disappeared in a shimmering mist.

"Get away from me!" the young girl screamed. Jackie strained, trying hard to remember where he had heard that voice before.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said, slowly edging towards the young girl. Black hair fell across red eyes. Her mouth looked like she had something inside of it that was not meant to be there. Her skin was like paper, yellowed and old. He reached out to her, but she shied away.

Her lip curled upward, revealing large, menacing fangs. He took a sharp breath and backed away a step, tears welled up in her big crimson eyes. "I'm a monster. Just stay away. If you don't I could hurt you. He said so himself," the word 'he' came out almost as a curse. Jackie realised his mistake and took a step towards the now crying girl.

"You're not a monster," he whispered, he moved forward as he spoke, trying to get as close to the teenager as he could. "You're just like me. You're a teenager. I used to get bullied too. If you don't want me near you I can understand. Can I sit here?" he asked, pointing to a spot of grass that didn't have blood or vomit strewn all over it. She nodded wearily, keeping watery, crimson eyes focused on him. He sat down and averted his eyes, hoping that it would make her feel more comfortable.

"They hit me." Her words were hollow, they rang through Jackie's head. He closed his eyes as the ringing finally passed, he noticed that he was in another dream.

Two large figures stood over a smaller one. He noticed that there was blood strewn across the cement floor, it was a deep red, the same color as the eyes of everyone in that room. One of the large beings was male while the other was obviously female. "Stop," the woman begged, realisation hit Jackie across the face as he looked at the scene. It was the girl from before, the man was her father and the woman was her mother. The two children in the corner were her siblings that they had scene before, the ones that had ridiculed her.

The father threw the mother across the room, hissing and baring his fangs at his wife. He advanced on the girl, raising his fist before he came down on her. He slashed with long nails and punched the frail child while her screams echoed through the dungeon like room. "Stop it," Jackie growled, raising to his feet. He charged towards the man, throwing him off of the young girl.

When he slipped back into the reality with the girl, he was still sitting in the same spot, his legs folded and hands buried in his lap. She stared at him, saline still dripping from her bright red eyes. "Wh-why did you do that?" she asked, confusion heavy through the sobbing that emerged from her mouth. Jackie moved closer a little bit, soaking his knees in the blood that covered the once, live green grass. She unfolded a small bit and wiped away the salt water rivers that ran down her yellow-hued skin.

"I don't think that they should've been doing that," Jackie said, "Can you please come with me?" She pulled her legs closer around on her piece of grass, but she nodded weakly. Jackie beamed and took her hand, casting a teleportation spell that took them both back to the Haven.

When they arrived, the son of Hecate promptly passed out.


	18. Sunshine's End

Rain clouds hung low over the camp, and again Nia was bedridden. Her lips were now a bright orange, and since she was so sick, she was in a room by herself. The silence rang in her ears as she tossed and turned angirly. Hot tears still slipped down her face as she thought about her lost sister. "I failed you," she croaked, her voice near gone. "My little sister. You're gone."

**A knock sounded at her door and Will entered, followed closely by Nico. Both boys were wearing surgeon's masks to avoid catching the sickness.**

**"Hey Nia," said Will, sounding subdued, "Here's a little ambrosia. Can you see if you can keep it down?"**

**"I can try," Nia whispered miserably. Nico went and stood on the opposite side of Nia's bed, watching his boyfriend as he stooped to feed Nia her ambrosia.**

The oldest child of Hecate ate the ambrosia, forcing it past her swollen tonsils and bright orange throat. Will took out a thermometer from his medical bag and stuck it into her ear, testing her temperature. Before the temperature could register, Hanna burst through the door, her large blue eyes were filled with tears. "Nico-I. The body, and. Sunshine-" her voice broke several times. She was almost hysterical as she spoke.

Will's eyes widened and he rushed over to his half sister, "What happened? Breathe Hanna," he soothed, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her breathing evened out as tears spilled from her eyes, wetting the mask that covered her nose and mouth.

"Sunshine was sick. She didn't tell us. She just passed away. She could've made it if we had been able to see that our sister was sick! And we could have saved her if we had made sure that she made it- and- and-" Hanna gasped.

Nico slipped silently out of the room.

**Nia watched Will comfort his half sister and felt something inside her shatter. She knew she had to get better--for Natalie, for all those campers out there that needed her. She was determined. Already something like a song formed in her head, a song she felt like she needed to sing for Natalie--but her voice was gone. She couldn't do it.**

**Or could she?**

**The plan just got better and better, and so did Nia. She felt the fever ebbing, but not by magic. Something else, something more powerful than magic was at work here.**

She forced a croak out of her throat, though it was not said with her vocal cords, as there was no longer anything there. Instead, magic rushed through her body, he skin emitted a faint glow. The world slowly slipped into another set of colors, other than orange. The aching warmth that had took over her body for the past three weeks, finally left and she was left with a welcomed shaking cold. She forced herself to sit upright, looking out of the window that lay on the East side of the infirmary room. Hanna finally came to her senses and returned back to her work. Will did the same, turning around to see Nia.

"How did you? What?" he asked baffled.

"I think I overcame the sickness," she said softly, not wanting to overextend her new, magic infused voice.

"How are you talking?" Will asked, coming over and examining the place where her vocal cords once rested. "You don't have any vocal cords and it doesn't look like you were cured by anything magical. Did you seriously just overcome Orange Cough by sheer will alone?"

"I'm a daughter of Hecate," she said with a sly, yet sad smile, "I'm funneling magic into my voice so that I can talk. I just thought that I had to do better for Natalie, and all the other campers. I may be able to help the others by lowering the death toll with my magic. I mean the fevers so that the death toll will go down, my mind is all foggy. Where are Jackie and Jeremy? Are they sick too?"

"I think that you should rest for a little while before we use your magic to help the sick. Jackie and Jeremy are on a quest to find the cure," Will replied, "Don't you remember?"

"I don't really remember anything since the fever set in. I'll rest for now but if Jackie and Jeremy come back, wake me up as soon as they come back in," Nia said, laying down in the bed and shutting her eyes, allowing herself to drift into a demigod dream.


	19. Watcher

"Mom?" Jeremy asked, still gazing at the vampire queen, "Is she ever going to wake up?"

"Not until we get those pixies out of her head. But I don't have nearly enough magic to do that. You aren't skilled enough with your magic so we need to find my kappe, are you prepared to go on a little sidequest with me?" she asked with a bright smile, rolling up the sleeves of her blue flannel shirt.

"Of course, but who is going to wait here and make sure that no one tries to kill the Vampire Queen?" Jeremy asked, looking over to where Bianca was sleeping on the inn bed. Her black hair was spread out all along the white pillow, billowing over her pale shoulder. Her translucent skin let both conscious fae see the blue and purple veins that wove all over her body.

"I can call in a friend. You may not like them much, but they should be trustworthy," Amanda sighed, heading out of the door. Her brown hair had fallen out of it's braid long ago, allowing it to swing around her hips. The door shut tightly behind her with a soft sound and Jeremy let out a breath of relief.

**"All right," he said, his eyes set on Bianca's spread hair, which reminded him a bit of a flower's shadow. Which might be what Bianca was... depending on your point of view. He sighed and turned back to his mother.**

**"You can get your friend," he said heavily, "I'll watch her till then."**

As the Alp walked out of the room, she muttered under her breath, Jeremy was only able to catch about half of what she said. "...less of a friend and more of an obnoxious roommate..." The door slammed lightly behind her and Jeremy was left with only his unconscious fae friend.

"I'm sorry we had to leave you like that. We didn't know. Can you even hear me, Bianca?" Jeremy asked, as he did so he lay his head on the edge of the bed, allowing tears to slip down his tan cheeks.

**She didn't move, but Jeremy thought he detected a hint of a smile on her pale face. He sighed and wiped his tears off his cheeks and settled for waiting, watching for his mother.**

**What seemed like years later, Jeremy heard his mother's return. "Jeremy," she called, "We're here. Don't be alarmed, okay?"**

**He looked up and nearly yelled out in surprise. Next to Amanda was a large fox-like creature with two tails and intelligent eyes. The fox thing snarled and transformed into a young woman with dark hair.**

Jeremy jumped and shook his head, "Weren't those the things that tried to kill us in the woods?" he shrieked while moving in front of Bianca protectively.

"Her name is Princess Nyamo," Amanda said, moving over to her adoptive son as if to make sure that he was not going to hurt the Kitsune. "That was her people, not her. She's the wife of an old friend of mine. She said that she would help. I trust her."

**The Kitsune smirked and folded her arms. "You trust me, huh?" she snorted, "Then what was up with the way you treated me?"**

**Amanda flushed. "Yeah, well..." she stammered, "Well, it's been a while since we'd been... closet-mates, you know? I wasn't sure if you'd changed..." her voice trailed off as Nyamo laughed derisively and held up a slender finger to stop the Alp from carrying on.**

"Go get your tarnkappe, if you see my wife, send her this way," Nyamo said, smiling sadly as the mention of her wife was brought up.

"Are you going to be alright here by yourself?" Amanda asked nervously. Nyamo broke out in a amused chuckle before she shoved the two out of the door.

"I'll just meditate. I have someone I need to talk to," she smiled softly before shutting the door on them, almost forcing the two Fae to continue on with their quest.


	20. Side Quest Two

"Hey," a flowy, light female voice directly into Jackie's ear. "Are you dead? Oh, I guess that's kind of a stupid question to ask someone here, 'cause there are people who are dead here. But I haven't found any armadillos yet. Unfortunately."

"Lucy, leave him alone. Is Liam back yet?" another voice asked cautiously. Jackie felt two tender hands slip under his head, cradling it.

"Dunno," the girl spoke again. "Look there's another girl. Hey honey, are you okay?"

"Ow," the girl that Jackie had rescued earlier said.

**Jackie sat up and looked around, blinking and trying to get his bearings. "Where am I? Where's Liam? Who are you?" he asked, disoriented.**

**The girl who had whispered to him laughed. "One question at a time," she scolded, "I'm Lucy. This is Quincy, a.k.a. Quinn."**

**Jackie stared at Quinn in confusion. "I hate to be impolite," he said apologetically, "But I can't tell. Are you a boy or a girl?"**

**Quinn laughed. "I'm non-binary. They and them are my pronouns, if you please." They brushed their short, bright orange hair out of their twinkling blue eyes.**

"As to where Liam is," they said, brushing their hair out of their eyes for another time, "I think that he went to see Lucy's newest 'creation.'" They put the last word in air quotes as to say that it was less of a creation than Lucy seemed to think it was.

"You're back in the dreamscape, and what do you mean by-" Lucy was cut off by a strong voice that Jackie had heard before.

"Lucy, I through that we agreed that you wouldn't build anymore armadillos in the Dreamscape. Save that for-" Liam stopped short and surged forward, hugging his friend. "Good Gods! I thought you'd be dead."

Jackie wrapped his arms tightly around the other male as if to make sure that he was as real as anything could be in the Dreamscape.

"I was so scared. But I got her back, she's so frail. What else could we do in the Dreamscape? What could be any worse than that?" Jackie asked, tears formed in the corners of his large, doe-like eyes. Liam shook his head and began to rock them both back and forth.

"Just one more, alright. The list changed. While you were gone, I-I had someone come and talk to me. They gave me a special mission. We just need to complete that, if we do, everything else will be fine. I promise," Liam's voice was hoarse as if he had been crying. "I promise." The son of Hypnos took a deep breath and gathered his wits before he stood up and addressed the other two demigods. "Lucy take the new girl to the healer, Quinn, make sure that she does what I ask."

"What are we doing, Liam?" Jackie asked, standing up so that he could look at his friend in a better angle.

**Liam looked strange. "We need to do something for a Kitsune," was all he would say. Jackie knew the taller boy was hiding something, something that made him sad, but he didn't push the issue.**

"Let's go then," Jackie said, squaring his shoulders as he prepared to do something terrifying yet again. Liam raised his eyebrows and took a deep breath, sighing out through his nose. The opened yet another door into the dream world. He stepped one foot through the portal before he looked back, seeing his friend wrecked with anxiety. "I ca-can't. I just can't. I'm sorry, Liam."

The son of Hypnos held his hand out, and Jackie took it. The boys embraced for a moment before they intertwined their hands and walked through the portal.

**"Wh-where are we?" Jackie stammered, as it was suddenly dim. At least he was still holding Liam's hand, which felt really comforting and took away a lot of the smaller boy's anxiety, but the anxiety was still there.**

**Liam gently calmed Jackie. "It's fine, we're in a forest," he said, "The best place to find a Kitsune." he sounded sad again, but Jackie still couldn't tell why.**

"Or someone, much, much more dangerous," a silky smooth voice with a bitter tone sneered. Jackie felt something cold and sharp pressed to his forming Adam's apple. "Why are you in my forest boy?"

"Anna?" Liam's voice was shakier than it had been only moments ago. "Nyamo sent us." The knife fell away from his throat but he felt a body get pressed against his back, it was strangely shaped, but obviously female. "Can you let him go?"

"Sure I can sweetheart. Now tell me how my wife is doing," her voice had turned from the harsh chainsaw noise to a small, sad purr.

"She misses you. You are in her dreams every night. Why have you not gone back to her?" Liam asked, his hand broke away from Jackie's, just as the boy had finally gotten his vision back. Before them stood a creature with grey skin and feathered ears. The tips of her long fingers were stained with blood and some sort of black liquid.

**Anna, the grey creature, looked sad. "I cannot return," she whispered, "the Alps have been banned from Kitsune territory."**

**Liam gasped. "But that is unheard of!" he exclaimed, "What is Nyamo's father thinking?"**

**"He hates the Alps," Anna sighed dejectedly, "he thinks us meddling fools and thieves. He will not stand for me to be near his daughter any longer."**

"Wasn't he the one that arranged the marriage in the first place?" Liam questioned. Blood rushed to the tips of his ears and his cheeks. Anna grew quiet, her ears tilted downward. "Come with us, please. Nyamo will perish unless she sees you. If you truly love her, then you will come with us," his words changed from English to another language, one that Jackie couldn't have recognized no matter how long he listened to it. "  _Sheknalka. Bota kanat."_

**Tears rushed to Anna's large eyes. "I would die to see my darling Nyamo again," she whispered, " _Ne borku. Gatei kanti veke._ "**

**"Then let's go," Liam said.**


	21. Saying the Final Goodbye

Tears welled in the corners of eyes that were normally always filled with a sparkle of magic and tease, after all she was an older sister. Groups of mourners stood in large circles as they waited for the pyres to be brought out. Black was the only color that they wore, that and the clothing that some were forced to wear. Nia blinked back her tears and held her head high as she watched the children of Athena that had not been affected by the disease brought out the coffin that contained her sister. It did not possess a lid, as most coffins did. The cloth that she was shrouded in was embroidered with books and symbols that represented pranks she had pulled in the past, though Hecate's symbol took up the majority of the cloth.

The small girl looked so peaceful as she lay there, her hands crossed across her stomach. Her lips were still a bright orange, as she had been dreadfully ill when she had passed away. The fire popped and fizzled as they placed the body in the center of the raging flame. Nia's eyes welled up in tears again as she thought of how much she had failed her sister. Her orange-tinted lips opened and magic flowed through her voice as she sang:

**_"I gaze_ **

**_At the moon_ **

**_And I think of long-forgotten days_ **

**_When you_ **

**_And I_ **

**_Were together, under the blue skies._ **

**_Are you there_ **

**_Somewhere?_ **

**_I see your magic soaring high._ **

**_Are you there_ **

**_Somewhere?_ **

**_Stars are your magic in the sky._ **

**_I hear_ **

**_Melodies_ **

**_From the stars that hold your greatest hope._ **

**_They shine_ **

**_Brighter far_ **

**_Then the songs of anyone back home._ **

**_Are you there_ **

**_Somewhere?_ **

**_I see your magic soaring high._ **

**_Are you there_ **

**_Somewhere?_ **

**_Stars are your magic in the sky."_ **

**For a while there was near silence after Nia had finished her song, except for the crackling of the fire that was burning Natalie's body. Then Bea, who was still sick but was being assisted by Will and Nico, stepped forward.**

**Her voice was ragged but she managed to project it over the large group of campers that surrounded the fire.**

**"Dear friends, family members, you all mean a lot to me, really you do, but no one meant as much to me as Natalie did. She was the only one that really understood me. She got all my jokes and wanted to actually _do_ stuff with me... when nobody else did. She made my life worthwhile, but... but I'm afraid I never did for her what she did for me." Bea's already ruined voice cracked on these last words and Nico and Will gently guided her back into the crowd. Again there was near silence.**

"As you take my sister," Nia rasped, "Please bring my brothers back to me. Don't you take them away from me too. Please."

"Please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kat (DemonsWatchYouSleep6) actually wrote the song in this chapter, so give her kudos for that.


	22. The Tarnkappe

Finally, they had reached a rather large building after having to walk through the small town. The Skinwalker's shoulder were tense as he took the form of one of the guards, as his mother had instructed him to do earlier.

**Feeling a bit more secure now that he had a disguise, Jeremy relaxed a little, but not more than he could afford. He stayed watchful, looking for enemies and, most important, Amanda's tarnkappe.**

He walked down one of the long, winding hallways that all castles seemed to possess. His boots echoed louder than he would have liked and the skin that he was wearing made him feel strange, as if wearing the skin of another Fae made him itch. He wriggled for a moment, which caused him to almost walk directly passed a large set of doors, that were intricately carved with images of Kings and Queens.

Jeremy took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he entered the throne room. Luckily for the young Skinwalker, nothing and no one inhabited the large stone room. Cubbies lines the walls, some held stolen artifacts while others just held piles of dust and debris. The Skinwalker scanned the walls again, searching for his mother's power item.

After almost ten minutes of searching, he finally caught sight of something that looked almost exactly like what his mother had told him about. He grabbed the hat off of the shelf and made way to the exit. He pulled his top lip into his mouth as he considered how easy it had been to take something so valuable.

"Where do you think you're going love?" a British voice purred into Jeremy's ear. The young boy shivered and hid the tarnkappe behind his back as he turned around. The woman was tall and wore her long black hair in a bun that took up the majority of the back of her head. The swirl of locks supported a golden and silver crown, the colors were intertwined to look like two snakes biting each other's tales. Memories flooded back to his head as he finally realised that this was someone very, very powerful. Not to mention the fact that she hated men.

"Aeval," Jeremy said with a small smile, looking the Fae Queen in the eyes.

**She smiled back, though it was more like a snarl. "Where are you going with that tarnkappe, boy?" she said, "You seem to know my name; don't you know I don't allow males onto my property?"**

**He was unfazed. "Yeah, about that," he said, "I was given permission to come onto your property by a female, so..."**

**She really snarled this time. "That makes no difference!" she yelled at him, "How stupid _are_ you?"**

"Also, this is the Worg King's castle isn't it? How much money is he paying to have you here?" Jeremy questioned, slowly backing into the wall.

"He paid me quite a sum. He also does not keep succubus in his palace. Which pleases me," she purred with a bright smile as she pulled out a dagger. Jeremy pressed the cloth hat tighter into his hand as he scratched the skin he was wearing. The Fae Queen rose her dagger up to his throat, pressing it to his Adam's apple so hard the blood tainted the silver blade.

**She brought her thin face up to his, murder in her deep blue eyes. "You still have not told me what you need that tarnkappe for. It took me a while to get that item. I will not let it go for no reason."**

**Jeremy gulped, his calm demeanor evaporating on the spot. "My... my mother... it's my mother's tarnkappe," he stammered.**

"And you, will leave my little boy alone Queen Aeval," Amanda spoke from the Skinwalker that she had adopted as a little boy. Jeremy grinned like a fool and tossed the tarnkappe at his mother, allowing her to obtain all of her power. She grabbed her son and shoved them both into the shadows, before she teleported them in and out of the dreamworld.

When they finally arrived out of the Dreamworld, they were back in the hotel where they had left Bianca.

Jeremy surged forward, taking off all of his armor as he walked. He fell down next to the bed that held the unconscious vampire. His fingertips grazed across her skin, forcing an little burst of electricity to shoot through his body. He smiled, and leaned down to kiss the Queen on the forehead.

"I didn't expect you back so soon. It's only been three days," Nyamo gasped, springing off of the bed with a smile. "I watched her, nothing happened. Now I have to go find my wife," the Princess said before she rushed out of the small room.

"Are you ready to perform the exorcism?" Jeremy asked his mother, eager to finally have his crush back.


	23. Awaken

As soon as they had stepped back into the Haven, Liam doubled over in pain, grabbing his head. "Liam?" Jackie questioned, his eyes were wide as he kneeled down next to his friend.

**Liam was breathing hard. "I'll be fine Jackie," he said in a tight voice, "Go take Anna over to that nook where your sister was, okay?"**

**But Jackie would not leave him. He wanted--no, needed-- to know what was wrong with Liam. Then again... if he hurried, he could get back quickly.**

Making his decision, the son of Hecate grabbed the Fae's arm and dragged her over to where he knew his little sister would be. She perked up and dragged herself out of the pillows as soon as she heard the footsteps approach her hidey hole. He had no idea what he was doing, but it almost felt natural. Anna was lain down on her back in the pile of pillows and other soft objects before Jackie sent a wave of magic through her, forcing her body to regain consciousness wherever it was. As soon as he did so, his head began to hurt, but he knew that he had to get back to the other male.

Souls from all different people looked up, staring as the colors swirled outside of the large windows, though as opposed to be the normal, calm swirling and mixing, it was now agitated, blending and bouncing off of each other. It was almost too intense for them to look at for more than a few minutes.

Panic began to raise as all of the people began to finally realise what was happening. Jackie was still trying to make his way back to the other male who was still bent over with a headache.

It felt like he was being torn apart. Colors swirled together, making a headache inducing collage like mess. "Liam!" the son of Hecate screamed his voice hoarse among the chorus of shrieking voices. One after another, figures of the sleeping or wandering spirits began to vanish. Black clouds formed around the corners of Jackie's vision. He fought at the pulling sensation his eyelids were emanating. "Liam!" he yelled looking around widely for the beautiful son of Hypnos.

"Jackie!" Liam cried, running to embrace the smaller male, "the Haven is collapsing, but I want you to know that whatever happens, I love you!" when the words escaped his lips, Jackie's eyes flew open.


	24. One Back Home

**Nia sat on her bed in the Hecate cabin, all alone. She was all too aware of her siblings' lack of presence and tried to stay composed, though nobody was there with her.**

**After Natalie's funeral, Stardust had tried to convince Nia to go back to the infirmary to heal up a little more, but Nia needed to be alone. She was healed anyway, though she was positive no magic would be enough to heal the other sick campers. So she had fled to her cabin.**

**Now she sat at the edge of her cold, unused bed, staring out the window at the fading light as the day turned to dusk and then to night. As she watched the last bits of pink disappear into navy blue, she felt an unbidden sob build up in her throat. She pushed it back down and stared at her hands, folded in her lap.**

**For a second she wished she were a daughter of Hades so she could at least visit Natalie, but that was too much to wish for. She told herself she should be glad she had Hecate for a mother, as, without the inherent magic powers, she might be dead herself right now. She certainly wouldn't have been able to sing at her sister's funeral.**

A pop sounded from behind her, making the older girl jump. She clutched a hand to her rapid beating heart as she slowly turned around to find what had caused the noise. A sob tumbled from the persons lips, "Liam!" the young male cried out, Nia raced forward, clutching her brother to her in a tight hug.

"You're back," she croaked, tears began to fall down her face as she held her brother. "I was so worried about you."

"I'm glad you're okay too, big sister," the younger child of Hecate sniffled and then grasped at his sister when another wave of tears broke free, this time in relief that he was finally being protected by his big sister. Nia held him and rocked him back and forth, similarly to what she had done when they were both much younger.

**"What's wrong?" Nia asked softly, "Why are you crying?" she feared Jackie had already learned, that he already knew the fate of his other sister, but as he answered she knew it was not this. He did not yet know.**

**"I... I was on a quest thing with a...with a friend. A new friend. A-a special friend. But...but now he's gone."**

**"Dead?" Nia asked, looking at her brother in alarm.**

**He looked up at her, tears thick in his eyes. "I don't know," he whispered, "I don't know and I'm scared."**

**She just held him tighter as he cried.**


	25. Two Back Home

Amanda placed both of her hands in either side of the vampire queen. She focused, closing her eyes before she muttered a word in a language that Jackie only just barely realized. "Lkiekaka!" a burst of magic shot through the room and Jeremy fell back, shaking his head to rid his ears of the ringing noise caused by the ripple in the magic.

Bianca's pitch black eyes flew open and she shot up out of bed, her spine strait up. She gasped for air like she hadn't had any in months. The first thing that she did was turn to the skinwalker that was still leaning against the rickety wooden walls. She made an attempt to get out of the bed and reach for him, but all she managed to do was fall down so that she sat in a lump on the floor. "What the Hades happened to me?" she asked, tears of confusion and a slight bit of anger in her eyes.

"You were possessed by Pixies for a little bit," the Alp said breathily, trying to regain her breath after the massive spell that she had just cast. Bianca nodded and made another move to the skinwalker, but he moved towards her and grabbed her arms.

**"Bianca," he said, "it's really you this time."**

**She nodded. "I think so," she said. The young male Fae was lifted her to her feet and then wrapped her in a quick embrace before letting go. Bianca looked at him as if she had never seen him before.**

**He blushed. "Sorry," he mumbled, "that was probably inappropriate."**

**Suddenly she smiled. "Not at all," she said, rushing in and giving him a big hug back. "Thank you."**

**Amanda stood a few feet away, her eyes flickering between the two Fae as if she were just waiting for something to happen. A small smile tugged at the corner of the Alp's mouth.**

**Then Bianca looked up at Jeremy with a strange gleam in her raven-colored eyes. "Jeremy, I..." she began, but Jeremy cut her off with a kiss.**

**Amanda looked as if she were trying hard not to celebrate right then and there.**

"Alright, if you two are done, we have two camps full of demigods that need saving. Let's get going," Amanda smiled at her son, giving him a knowing look before grabbing both of their hands. Even through that they both knew that they did not need to complete a full circle for the spell that they were about to cast, the two lovebirds were desperate to cling to each other, as if to make sure that they were real.

"Wait, Mom," Jeremy stopped the Alp just as she pulled them into the shadows, "Won't taking the two of us into the dream realm and then back out kill you?" Jeremy asked, expressing his concerns to his mother. She just smiled before he could say anything else, she chanted a few mumbled words and pulled them into a crumbling, unstable world.

**Bianca screamed. Amanda yelled something in German, probably inappropriate. Jeremy could only stare at the horrific scene before him. The ground falling away into nothingness, the sky gone, nothing there but a black void. Amanda grabbed the other two Fae's hands and shouted out a couple of words, and they were out again.**

They stumbled into a sand covered world. Amanda coughed for a moment before she began heaving. "Mom!" Jeremy yelled, running over to the magic-drained Alp. She held up her hand and stopped him from walking anywhere before giving him a weak smile.

"I'm fine. Go find the healer to help the camp," she said before she sat down in the rocky sand. The skinwalker felt his face harden before he began to race down the beach. Bianca followed closely after him.

"Jeremy!" she shouted, breathing so hard that her chest was heaving. "Slow down!" the young fae stuttered to a stop and waiting for the all too human vampire to catch up to him. "I think the spell that your mom cast on me work a little too well," she said before smiling, though it looked more like a grimace. Jeremy gave her back a weak smile before heading down the rocky beach at a much slower pace.

"Hello?" a sweet, innocent toned voice called out, grabbing the attention of both Fae. "Are you lost?" she asked, she had a basket filled with rocks and shells propped against her hip. She had hynny gold hair that fell down her back like a waterfall made of sun. Her smile was pleasant and motherly enough to feel welcoming.

"Yes, actually," Jeremy said, he grabbed Bianca's hand and clasped their fingers together lovingly. "My girlfriend and I were traveling with my mom and she passed out, we were looking for some help," he finally explained once they got close enough that he wouldn't have to yell.

The woman tutted and walked around them before she carried on the direction that they had come from. "You should always keep a healers number and ID on you, son of Hecate," she lectured before they ended up at the spot where Amanda lay unconscious. The woman bent down next to her and pulled a few herbs from her bag, she pulled a catine of water from the air and mixed the herbs within it. After it was sufficiently mixed, she poured the concoction into the Alp's mouth.

"A what?" he asked, baffled that the young girl would have handled such a dangerous fairy with such ease.

"A healer's number," she repeated, looking at him as i nodf he was one of the stupidest people on the planet. Jeremy nodded and watched as his mothers color improved and she gasped for air. Amanda sat up and glared at the forest beach surrounding them. "We need to get to the camp, you may have been taking a little too long in finding me," the healer shook her head, saddened eyes gazed at the small party. The Alp stayed quiet and grabbed her son's hand, waiting for him to grab Bianca's and the healer's.

"Are you sure you can do this, Mom?" he asked, worry heavy in his voice.

"Yes," she said in her no nonsense voice. Jeremy seemed to shrink back and he grabbed his girlfriend's hand, letting the vampire grab the healers.

The last flash of bright light and loud pop echoed through the sun bleached trees

**Serene blue sky stretched out above them again, bright green grass cool beneath their feet. Amanda whispered, "Safe," before ?collapsing.**

**Bianca's knees wobbled and she fell to the ground as well, but she was still conscious. She looked shell-shocked and close to tears. Jeremy closed his eyes and took some deep breaths to calm himself.**

**His mother had only passed out, so he used a bit of Fae magic to lift her up off the ground. He took the vampire princess' pale, slim hand in his own and helped her to her feet.**

**Looking out in front of him, what the young Skinwalker saw gave him a newfound sense of courage and hope.**

**"Camp," he whispered, joy filling his chest, "Bianca, we're home."**


End file.
